Dates in History

It is estimated that the first Halloween was celebrated more than a thousand years ago in 834. The Irish are credited with beginning this holiday celebration since Halloween comes from the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. The word Halloween first appeared in the dictionary in the eighteenth century.

During Halloween, almost 86 percent of Americans decorate their homes including transforming that perfectly shaped pumpkin into a glowing Jack-O-Lantern. A whopping 99 percent of domestically marketed pumpkins are grown solely for this spooky celebration. No matter how large, a pumpkin is made up of 90 percent water and is considered to be a fruit – not a vegetable. Pumpkins are grown in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Festivals across the United States signify the changing of the seasons with pumpkin festivals and the ever popular pumpkin growing contests. The largest pumpkin on record weighs 1,689 pounds.

Halloween is considered to be the second most successful holiday. A quarter of all candy sold in an entire year is sold just for this scary night rewarding even the most ghoulish trick-or-treaters. And, 35 million pounds of candy corn is created every year just for Halloween.