Top Ten: Little Known Halloween Facts

I’m always a sucker for Cliff Claven knowledge. If you don’t know who Cliff is, then I guess I’m officially old. Anyhoo, enjoy this week’s…

TOP TEN: LITTLE KNOWN HALLOWEEN FACTS

1. The holiday has Christian origins.

2. Pope Gregory IV is responsible for when we celebrate Halloween – way back in 835. He moved the commemoration of Martyrs (later All Saints Day) from May 13 to November 1.

3. Ever wonder where we get that name? Well, the night before All Saints Day became known as “All Hallows Eve”, i.e. “holy evening” and eventually “Halloween.”

4. Some gool ‘ol Irish Catholics are the reason we celebrate it here in the states. Raise a pint to that.

5. Irish farmers prepared for All Saints and All Souls Day the night before by going door-to-door collecting food for the village party. If you gave, you were promised prosperity, if not, well, shame on you.

6. “Trick or treat” was born when those good Irish immigrated here to the states.

7. I don’t know who invented that horrific black and orange wrapped candy – but they should be brought up on felony charges. That stuff is horrible! I digress…

8. The first All Saints Day Mass was held at St. Peter’s in Rome back in 1835. After that, it spread to the global church.

9. Not only did the Irish bring with them “trick or treating”, but jack-o-lanterns (part of that food collection origin) and costumes as well.

10. While the early years had lots of folks in scary costumes, some of us parents have taken a gentler approach in recent years. Hooray for that!!