Test your Halloween Knowledge with Some Fun Trivia

Do you know some fun and interesting facts about your child's favorite holiday? Here is a quick quiz on some Halloween history, traditions and superstitions.

1. In which country did Halloween originate?

2. Halloween is the festival of the _____.

3. What are other names for Halloween?

4. From which words did ‘bonfire originate?

5. Why do we wear costumes?

6. What does orange and black Halloween colors represent?

7. Why do we go trick or treating?

8. What is the tradition of Jack O’ Lanterns?

9. What does Candy Corn symbolize?

10. Which other county celebrates the Day of the Dead?

11. Every Halloween, Charlie Brown and Linus wait for what character to appear?

12. Is a pumpkin a fruit or vegetable?

Answers:

1. Halloween can be traced back to Ireland, originating around 4000 BC. Halloween could be 6000 years old!

2. Halloween is the festival of the dead. It marks the end of summer, and the beginning of winter. The winter season brought death. So on October 31st, people celebrated because they believed that spirits would visit them; and therefore they left food and drink outside their homes for the spirits of the dead.

3. Samhain and All Hallows Eve.

4. During the celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames - “bone fire” became “bonfire”.

5. Back in ancient times, costumes were meant to scare away evil spirits and ghosts who were thought to roam the countryside on Halloween night. If they wore costumes, they would not be recognized as humans.

6.Orange represents the fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.

7. Halloween has been around since medieval times. It was originally called “guising” and children and poor adults wore costumes and begged for money or food in exchange for songs or prayers.

8. Jack O’ Lanterns ward off evil spirits. They originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips (yes, turnips!) to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

9. Candy Corn has no association to Halloween. It was after WWII that candy corn was marketed as a halloween treat because its colors matched those of the fall harvest.

10. Mexico

11. The Great Pumpkin

12. A Fruit