Photo Credit: iStock.com/Artist's AlexRaths
Surveys have revealed that the spookiest time of the year makes for one of the most popular holidays of the year. We’re talking about Halloween, the occasion that’s about going about trick-or-treating in the most benign way.
But that wasn’t always so, as these 7 terrifying facts about Halloween will have you know.
You’ll be unlucky in love! But really who puts a thimble in a cake? Back in the day people used to put all sorts of things in the Halloween cake so that they could tell someone their fortune (or misfortune). All it took was for some teeth to bite into an object that could’ve earned them a trip to the dentist.
That’s a lot of money for the caffeine habit. And we still haven’t even broached the topic of chocolates. Some studies state that billions are spent on items to satiate the sweet tooth on Halloween. Only one making a killing post-Halloween might be the dentists!
Remember the horror flick Halloween? The budget for that movie was so terrifyingly low that the geniuses behind the makeup team got a $2 mask of William Shatner for their lead serial killer in the movie. Michael Myers mask went on to make $70 million at the box office. Go figure.
Imagine if you will, a village in Somerset where kids threaten people who don’t cough up some sweet treats for them come Punkie Night. The King and Queen Punkie also do the rounds with an eery sounding song that goes like this:
“It’s Punkie Night tonight
It’s Punkie Night tonight
Adam and Eve would not believe
It’s Punkie Night tonight“
That’s right. Before them pumpkin heads became all famous, turnips used to be the objects that people carved those creepy eyes and mouth out of. We guess someone down the road just stumbled onto a pumpkin and the rest, as they say, is bloody history. Blame the Irish for this one folks. They do make nice turnip soups though.
Tis the day to be spooked and the Germans believe that they shouldn’t leave some knives hanging around if they want to be safe from levitating sharp kitchen utensils. Their solution – hide all of them pointy objects lest some evil spirits injure themselves. Ghosts got feelings too you know?
What’s that? A traditional Halloween recipe? The kind that’s part cookie and part macaron? Italians love them some Fave dei Morti or Beans of the Dead. Perhaps George Romero had a hand in naming them?
So that’s too much terrifying facts for this year’s Halloween! Which ones your favorite? Do you think Halloween qualifies as America’s most popular holiday? Or does that honor belong to some other event? Let us know in the comments below.
Kelvin Stiles is a tech enthusiast and works as a marketing consultant at SurveyCrest – FREE online survey software and publishing tools for academic and business use. He is also an avid blogger and a comic book fanatic.