Well it is almost time for the ghosts, goblins and many kinds of creatures to make their yearly appearance at Halloween. This year we have our own to host this Halloween edition of “Shit We Should Know”, welcome to the one and only, Lothar J. Subtrice.
The first Jack-o-Lanterns were carved from turnips. It wasn’t until the tradition came to America that pumpkins replaced turnips.
On average, kids who trick or treat will bring home a bag of candies worth 11,000 calories.
In Alabama, wearing a nun or priest costume for Halloween is illegal. violators may be charged a $500 fine as well as a year in prison.
Walnut Creek, California prohibits Halloween masks without permits. Although masks are pretty much a standard for Halloween, you’d need to secure permits before donning one. The Walnut Creek authorities strictly implement this law to prevent criminal activity during Halloween celebrations
The world record for the heaviest pumpkin weighed at 2,624.6 pounds. Mathias Willemjins of Belgium holds the current record for growing the heaviest pumpkin in the world.
Michael Myers’ mask came from an altered Captain Kirk Star Trek mask.In an interview with Willam Shatner, he revealed that the Michael Myers mask used in the film was a prop that was formerly a Captain Kirk mask, Halloween‘s production crew painted it white for the killer’s iconic visage.
In Dublin, Georgia, any type of costume that covers the face is illegal.For those aged 16 and over, it is considered illegal to wear any type of costume that covers your face. Sunglasses, hoods, and anything else that covers your head or face are also prohibited.
New York is home to the world’s largest Halloween parade. The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade takes place every year on Halloween night in Manhattan, drawing thousands of costumed participants and even more spectators.
If you are over the age of 13 in Bellville, Missouri, you cannot ask for Halloween candy. In this town, children over the age of 13 can no longer go out to trick or treat during Halloween. This law enforces the idea that this activity is done by children only.
Boston, Massachusetts holds the biggest record of Jack-O-Lanterns lit at once. In October 21st, 2006, Boston, Massachusetts set the world record for the most number of Jack-O-Lanterns lit at once. The total count amounted to 30,128 simultaneously lit lanterns.
There’s a reason why black and orange are associated with Halloween. Orange signals the harvest of autumn, while black is a symbol of darkness.
Each year, Americans spend around $106.79 for Halloween related goods. According to the National Retail Federation, the United States spends an average of $10 billion on Halloween related items and activities. In 2018, over 185 million Americans were expected to partake in Halloween events and celebrations throughout the fifty states.
Reese’s cups rank as one of the highest-selling candies during Halloween. In 2019, Monmouth University conducted a study to rank the most popular Halloween candies in the United States. In the survey, 36% of participants favored Reese’s peanut butter cups over all other Halloween candies.
The state of Illinois produces five times the amount of pumpkins than any other state. In 2018, a total of five states produced more than 1 billion pounds worth of pumpkins. The state of Illinois produced a total of 500 million pounds worth of pumpkins making it the number one producing state. On average, a farm in the state can produce around 40,000 pounds of pumpkins per acre.
Candy corn was originally named Chicken Feed due to its shape and color. First produced in 1888 by Wunderle Candy Company. It is still popular today, but also to many, the most disliked.
On average, Americans buy 600 million pounds of candy for Halloween annually. According to the National Confectioners Association, the annual amount of candy on average bought total to 600 million pounds for Halloween. This estimates to around $2.4 billion spent on candy during the weeks leading up to Halloween night.
America spends half a billion dollars on Halloween pet costumes each year. In 2019, researches stated that Americans have spent nearly half a billion dollars on pet costumes for Halloween. Statistics also show a rising trend in households with pets partaking in the Halloween activity. As of 2019, the most popular choices for Halloween pets costumes include a pumpkin, a hotdog, a superhero, and a bumblebee.
Candy wasn’t given out to trick-or-treaters until the 1950s. Halloween simply wouldn’t be the same without those fun (and king!) size candy bars to sweeten the day. But there was a time when trick-or-treaters didn’t receive candy at all, but rather pieces of cake, fruit, nuts, coins, and little toys. It wasn’t until the 1950s, when candy makers began to promote their goods for Halloween, that candy became a staple on the trick-or-treating circuit. These days, one quarter of all the candy sold in the U.S. each year is purchased for Halloween.
And finally, in case you have wondered. Pumpkins are considered a fruit, not a vegetable and all parts of the pumpkin are edible.
