Halloween Fun Facts:

The Jack-O-Lantern borrows its name from a stingy man named Jack, and is an IRISH tradition

According to an old Irish legend, the practice of carving produce for Halloween comes from a man named Stingy Jack who once invited the devil for a drink.

True to his name, Jack didn’t want to pay for his drinks, which led to a series of tricking the devil. After some years, Jack passed away and his soul left in the dark, using only a carved turnip to light his way. In keeping with that tradition then, the Irish were the first to hollow out and carve oversized rutabagas, turnips and potatoes, using candles inside for Halloween celebrations. The tradition traveled to the United States along with the immigrants and people began to use pumpkins, native to North America, instead.

The Halloween we know today can trace its roots back to the ancient Celtic end-of-harvest festival of Samhain. During Samhain, people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off evil spirits.

In the eighth century, in an effort to spread Christianity, Pope Gregory III decreed November 1 as All Saints' Day and incorporated some of the rituals of Samhain. All Saints' Day was also called All Hallows and the night before, when the traditional Samhain festival used to take place in Celtic regions, was called All Hallows' Eve.

And, on a lighter note: Despite the common phobia of spiders many people share, spotting this insect on Halloween night is considered great luck. It is believed that if you see a spider during Halloween, it means that a loved one is watching over you. 

How’s that for some interesting Halloween facts?!