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Halloween has Celtic history

| 29 Oct 2018 | 03:10
    Kylie and Sadie are devil and angel at the Highland Lakes trunk or Treat on Oct. 28.
    Kylie and Sadie are devil and angel at the Highland Lakes trunk or Treat on Oct. 28.
    The Buchney family were all sporting fins as they dressed like sharks.
    The Buchney family were all sporting fins as they dressed like sharks.
    Rich Howes and Dori Zarr get acquainted with a new friend at the Highland Lakes Trunk or Treat.
    Rich Howes and Dori Zarr get acquainted with a new friend at the Highland Lakes Trunk or Treat.
    Oh no! A group of scary clowns.
    Oh no! A group of scary clowns.
    PHOTOS BY JANET REDYKETrunks are prepared and ready for Halloween Trunk or Treaters.
    PHOTOS BY JANET REDYKETrunks are prepared and ready for Halloween Trunk or Treaters.

VERNON — Halloween had its origins in Celtic history.
Ireland was typically the birthplace of Halloween. The holiday also had religious overtones as well, starting out as All Hallows Eve. Today, Halloween is, mostly viewed as a fun time for children and adults alike.
Some interesting facts about Halloween have evolved over the years. The first Jack o’ Lanterns were actually turnips. Jack o’ Lanterns come from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack who set out trying to connive the devil. The largest pumpkin was grown by Norm Craven in 1993 and weighed 836 pounds. That would make quite a pie.
Owls are popular Halloween images. They were said to be witches and if one hears an owl, someone will die. Spooky business!
Scarecrows are also Halloween symbols, representing the ancient agricultural influence.
According to factretreiver.com, the towns of Salem, Massachusetts and Anoka, Minnesota are self- proclaimed Halloween spooky capitals.
Oh my, Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
Trick or treating came into existence for the first time in North America in 1927 in Alberta, Canada. Children prefer chocolate in their trick or treat bags by 50 percent while 24 percent prefer non-chocolate candy and 10 percent would rather have gum. Speaking of candy, Candy Corn was originally called Chicken Feed and was created by George Renninger in 1880. It was sold to the Goelitz Company which is now the Jelly Belly Company.
A new trend of trick or treating has become popular in recent years. Trunk or treating is done in the safety of a cordoned off parking lot with groups of neighbors, communities, church groups and other organizations. Costumed children visit decorated parked car trunks and receive their treats. Trunk or treat took place in Highland Lakes on Sunday October 28 in the parking lot of the community’s Lake 1. Costumed children and adults turned out for the very fun and successful Halloween parade followed by Trunk or Treating.
Just another Halloween fact in closing, the largest Halloween parade in the U.S. is in New York City with 50,000 participants that draws roughly two million spectators.