Halloween 2019: Spooky Halloween Facts About This Observance That Will Creep You Out

It is the time to prepare dark, spooky outfits as Halloween 2019 is around the corner. Marked every year on October 31 in different countries, its a day which started as a day to pay respects to the departed souls, martyrs and faithful believers, saints. Halloween over time has been marked with spookiness, scary tales, horror nights and less about trick or treats. People dress up in scary outfits, there are Halloween parties and children go around asking for candies or perform some trick. Ahead of Halloween 2019, we give you some facts keeping the spooky element of the day in mind.

10 Spooky Facts About Halloween

• The celebration of Halloween started as a celebration honouring the dead. About 2,000 years ago, Celts celebrated it as Samhain and they held certain rituals to keep the departed spirits away. There was a belief that on October 31st, the barrier between the living and dead weakened and the dead returned.
• There is a belief that if one wants to see a witch on Halloween, then one should wear their clothes inside out and walk backwards. If you step out like that in the midnight, you might see one witch! Wanna try? Halloween 2019 Costume Ideas: Draw Inspiration From Billie Eilish And Dress Up In Oversized Separates For Your Costume Party!
• There is also a belief that witches gather together two days of the year on April 30th, the Eve of May Day and on October 31, the Halloween day.
• The Halloween bonfire actually came from bone fires! In the earliest celebrations, there were bonfires because the sun would return after a long time. The Druid priests would often throw the bones of cattle into the flames so it was a bone fire, eventually a bonfire.

• • According to some folklores, if there are bats flying around your home on Halloween night then it is a sign of ghosts nearby.
  • Some people are scared of celebrating Halloween too. The medical term for this is Samhainophobia.
  • One of the popular Halloween symbols are the owls and black cats. In medieval times, it was believed that if you heard an owl call it was a warning of someone's death. Black cats were also considered as witches.

• The most popular colours of Halloween are orange and black. The orange symbolises some harvest and fall colours which black symbolises death and darkness. Halloween is a celebration between life and death, so these two colours are associated with the festival.
• In China, during Halloween celebrations, people hang lanterns shaped like dragons and animals. These are supposed to guide the roaming spirits back home.
• Halloween is said to be a dangerous tradition for children, as there are more chances of them getting killed! A study last year showed that there is a 43 percent increased risk of a pedestrian death, up to four extra children are killed trick-or-treating by accidents.

These are some of the spookier facts and beliefs about the festive holiday. The beliefs differ from region to region but it is celebrated considering the spook factor. Over the years the celebrations have evolved into Halloween-themed parties and events. The next time you are attending a Halloween celebration or party, make sure you share some of the spooky background and facts with your friends.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2019 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).