Here at Reid & Pederson, we share a lot of scary stories about what can happen if your sewer backs up or if your drains are clogged. With it being Halloween, today we are sharing a post that should bring a smile of delight instead of a scream of terror. Read on to learn some fun facts about Halloween you may not know. We promise you can leave the light on (unless the villain in #4 terrifies you, too!)
1. The Keene Pumpkin Festival
The Keene Pumpkin Festival, held annually in Keene, New Hampshire, holds the Guinness World Record for the highest number of lit jack o’lanterns on display. The 30,581 pumpkins were placed on display in 2013 during the annual festival and the record has since remained.
2. Most Famous Haunted House?
Is the most famous address in the United States haunted? That’s what residents, staff and visitors of the White House claim. President Ronald Reagan once remarked that his dog would visit any room except the Lincoln Bedroom. And the most common ghostly visitor? You guessed it…Honest Abe himself. Lincoln has supposedly been spotted by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady Grace Coolidge, Queen Wilhemina of the Netherlands and Sir Winston Churchill, to name a few. Other ghostly guests? Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Abigail Adams and Dolly Madison!
3. Beggar’s Night
The city of Des Moines, Iowa celebrates Beggar’s Night every year on the night before Halloween. Created as a way to prevent vandalism and to give younger children a fun, safe night, the night is very similar to trick or treating with one catch. In order to get a treat, kids must tell a joke, poem or perform a “trick” for a treat. Cue the dad jokes!
4. Michael Myers’ Mask
Here’s a fun fact about the movie Halloween. Filmed on such a tight budget, the crew used the cheapest mask they could find to create the face of Michael Myers. Using a $2 Star Trek Captain Kirk mask found at a Hollywood magic shop by the production designer, the mask was spray painted white and the eye holes were reshaped. What resulted was the gruesome facade of the infamous killer that continues to terrify audiences today.
5. Candy Corn Chicken Feed
You either love candy corn or you hate it. There’s no in-between. Regardless of where you fall in the great candy corn debate, did you know that it was originally called Chicken Feed? Sold by the masses by Goelitz Confectionery Company (now Jelly Belly Co.) it was named so because corn is what is used to feed chickens and the company wanted to appeal to America’s agricultural roots. So they called it “Chicken Feed” and added a colorful rooster to the box.
6. Tasting the Rainbow
Ending this post on a sweet note, did you know that Skittles are the top Halloween candy, according to 11-years of sales data from CandyStore.com? These colorful bite-sized candies outranked favorites such as M&Ms, Snickers, Kit Kat and Reese’s peanut butter cups! That’s a lot of people who love to taste the rainbow!
We hope you enjoyed these interesting facts about All Hallows’ Eve. Have a safe and happy Halloween!