Did You Know?

There are many traditions surrounding Halloween, the most popular of which is trick-or-treating. This custom may be traced back to Ireland. On Halloween, Irish peasants would beg the rich for food. For those who refused, the peasants would play a practical joke. So, in an effort to avoid being tricked, the rich would hand out cookies, candy and fruit -- a practice that evolved into trick-or-treating today.

Did You Know?

Though many people might feel as though they're purely fictional, haunted houses have actually found their way into the American legal system. In 1991, the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division ruled, in the case of Stambovsky v. Ackley, that a seller must disclose that a house has a reputation of being haunted because such a reputation could impair the value of the home. While the decision didn't claim haunted houses are real, the ruling did acknowledge that reputation for being haunted requires disclosure to any prospective buyers.

Did You Know?

Those who have woken up to a littered lawn or dirtied home on Halloween can trace that mayhem to a tradition known as Mischief Night, which some historians have theorized dates all the way back to the 18th century. Though there are no standards for Mischief Night and some municipalities heavily frown on the unofficial holiday, in general Mischief Night is a night for preteens and teenagers to play lighthearted pranks on their neighbors. While some might feel Mischief Night is a distinctly American tradition, it's actually not exclusive to the United States, as America's neighbors to the north, Canada, as well as England, Scotland and Ireland all have their own version of Mischief Night, which is most commonly "celebrated" on October 30, the night before Halloween. Among the more popular Mischief Night pranks included "Ding Dong Ditch," in which kids ring a neighbor's doorbell before running away, and toilet papering the neighborhood, in which children spread toilet paper all over the yards and throughout the trees of their neighbors.

Did You Know?

While Halloween is largely associated with kids asking for candy from others, one of the most recognizable Halloween traditions was actually spawned by youngsters doing good for others. "Trick or Treat for UNICEF," a campaign that has raised more than $130 million over the last half century, was inspired by the efforts of five concerned children in Philadelphia in 1950. Going door-to-door to collect money for their peers in post-World War II Europe, these five youngsters raised $17 and donated it all to UNICEF. That soon inspired the campaign and eventually led to President Lyndon Johnson declaring October 31 "UNICEF Day" in 1967.

Costume Choices That Win the Popularity Contest

Each year, adults get in touch with their inner child come the end of October and dress up for Halloween. While they may no longer go door-to-door begging for candy, many still cling to the tradition of dressing up for Halloween. No costume proved more popular than a witch, as more than 5 million adults dressed up as a witch in 2008. According the National Retail Federation, the following costumes proved the most popular among adults in 2008.
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