Happy Halloween from Sweet on the Lips! To celebrate the holiday, I thought it would be fun to share some cool Halloween trivia!
*Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
*Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
*Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
*Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
*The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
*Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
*Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.
*Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
*Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.
*Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.
*If you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved on watching over you.
And for an additional treat, may I present to you a mini Top 5 - The Top 5 Best Halloween Specials!
5. Double Double Toil & Trouble
Okay, so I can't deny that this is a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie. And it's from, like, 1992 or 1993 or something, so it's pretty old school. Yes, it's cheesy, and terribly acted to boot (not to mention predictable). Maybe it's the nostalgia factor, since I loved it as a kid, but even to this day, I enjoy watching it.
4. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
When I was a kid, I had a Halloween party, and we watched the Disney cartoon version of this movie. It scared the ever-living crap out of us! Admittedly, it's been a while since I've seen this one, but it's still pretty creepy. The Tim Burton version is pretty good, but this particular installment is the real deal. (Click here to check it out!)
3. The Simpsons Treehouse of Terror
I look forward to The Simpsons' annual Halloween episode every year. I enjoy them at any time, really, but nothing gets me in the mood quite like these episodes. I can't name a favourite episode, since there are so many, but some favourites include the Harry Potter parody, the Hansel & Gretel story, the one where Marge turns out to be a witch, and the "Hell Toupee" story. There are so many more, which makes me glad The Powers That Be released a DVD with just the Halloween episodes (I need to get my hands on it!). True, most of these minis were more funny than scary, but they're always a treat! (To find a favourite, click here!)
2. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Ah, yes, the quintessential Halloween special. We grew up with it and we still look forward to it every year - after all, which one of us hasn't, at one point, maybe this year, the Great Pumpkin will actually show up? There's something about this special that just screams Halloween, and even at the ripe old age of 25, I still get excited when I watch it.
And the #1 Halloween Special is....*drumroll, please*
1. Garfield's Halloween Adventure
I remember being TERRIFIED the very first time I saw this special. When Odie and Garfield get to the creepy old mansion in the middle of nowhere, I could barely watch. Even watching it now, there's a definite sense of forboding when the furry pals step foot in the abandoned house. As much as I love the misadvertunes of the Peanuts gang, Garfield and Odie's trick-or-treating trek into the unknown will always be my favourite. It embodies the spirit of Halloween in every way, from Garfield's "Candycandycandycandycandy!" shout to the genuinely scary moments towards the end. It isn't Halloween until I watch Garfield's Halloween Adventure!
Happy Halloween!!!
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