As most people know, Halloween is that one time of the year where we dress up, get candy, and go pumpkin picking.

Some also may just see it as scary season and horror movies. But some people don’t really know the backstories of the classic Halloween traditions we all know.

Halloween is traditionally scary and haunted. But why? According to Celtic mythology, “The veil between the other world and our world thins during Samhain, making it easier for spirits and the souls of dead to return.”

In Ireland, people started to carve domestic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack’s wondering soul.

When immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack o lanterns to pumpkins, as these were native to the region. Now called the jack o lantern, it can either symbolize spirits or supernatural beginnings, or was used to ward off evil spirits.

As another of most people’s favorites, telling scary stories. Scary stories are told to show children that it is okay to be afraid and that they can use their brain to solve problems.

One scary fact is that spiders have clear blood!

Now, one of the most common things that come to mind when thinking of Halloween is dressing up either scary, funny, or sometimes odd.

Dressing up scary while trick or treating was started because impersonating these beings, or wearing a disguise was believed to protect oneself from them.

Which leads me to trick or treating, during Medieval times in Europe, poor children would go door to door begging for food and money. In exchange, they would offer to pray for the souls of their neighbors’ recently deported loved ones.

Back in 1934 trick or treating became a warm greeting. As time went on it started to help kids with their social and emotional skill development.

One thing that kids love to do is pulling pranks, now we may do it because we don’t like someone or just because, but in the early 1900s there wasn’t much to do for entertainment.

“In Ireland, boys would carve spooky faces into turnips to scare unwary travelers, and they would tie strings to cabbage and pull them through fields to scare people.” says Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat a History of Halloween.

Lastly, this one is my personal favorite watching scary movies. To most people it is a combination of an adrenaline rush and an opportunity to learn about dealing with scary situations in a safe environment. Similar to watching a thriller and trying to solve the mystery.