Today is the day when costumes, candy, and jack o’ lanterns flood the streets. What was once a holiday to commemorate the non-living is now a time to see loved ones and enjoy the fall air. In order to celebrate the holiday, here are a few fun facts about Halloween we found on History.com:

Halloween Was New Years Eve

Halloween originated in Ireland over 2,000 years ago with a celebration called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). This festival was used as an eerie ring-in to their calendar New Year. The Celtic people believed the line separating the living from the dead would blur between October 31 and November 1, causing the dead to walk the streets. The influx of spirits would leave behind damaged crops and stir up trouble in the neighborhood. Food would be left on doorsteps to appease the ghosts and encourage them to keep moving.

Fortune Telling Was a Big Halloween Hit

With no smartphones, the Celtic people of Ireland were extremely dependent on fortune telling to provide information. They believed the presence of spirits during Samhain made it easier for the priests to predict the future, and looked to them for guidance. The people would dress in costumes made of animal heads and skins while attempting to tell one another’s fortunes around a fire.

Trick or Treating Is a Bribe

During the roaring 1920’s Halloween was a secular holiday widely celebrated across the United States. Pranks became the highlight of Halloween for young people, with Metropolitan areas suffering more than $100,00 a year in damages. Crimes escalated even more during the Great Depression due to the grieving state of the country. To reign in the youth, the town leaders began to focus on advertising Halloween to the young baby boomers, and turned the holiday into a bribe. In exchange for not vandalizing the community, children were able to go out in costumes and were given chocolates and treats.

On behalf of Reynolds and Reynolds, Happy Halloween!