Virtual Halloween Party Thread

• Because Protestant England did not believe in Catholic saints, the rituals traditionally associated with Hallowmas (or Halloween) became associated with Guy Fawkes Night. England declared November 5th Guy Fawkes Night to commemorate the capture and execution of Guy Fawkes, who co-conspired to blow up the Parliament in 1605 in order to restore a Catholic king.[14]

• Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis brought on by three stomach punches.[11]

Looking in a mirror at midnight on Halloween was thought to reveal a boyfriend's face

• Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.[16]

• According to tradition, if a person wears his or her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, he or she will see a witch at midnight.[16]

• Mexico celebrates the Days of the Dead (Días de los Muertos) on the Christian holidays All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) instead of Halloween. The townspeople dress up like ghouls and parade down the street.[11]

• During the pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often Druid priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames and, hence, “bone fire” became “bonfire.”[15]

• The famous magician Harry Houdini died on October 31, 1926.[13]

• Dressing up as ghouls and other spooks originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople disguising themselves as demons and spirits. The Celts believed that disguising themselves this way would allow them to escape the notice of the real spirits wandering the streets during Samhain.[15]

• The National Retail Federation expects consumers in 2010 to spend $66.28 per person—which would be a total of approximately $5.8 billion—on Halloween costumes, cards, and candy. That’s up from $56.31 in 2009 and brings spending back to 2008 levels.[7]

About half of children prefer to receive chocolate on Halloween

• In 1970, a five-year-old boy Kevin Toston allegedly ate Halloween candy laced with heroin. Investigators later discovered the heroin belonged to the boy’s uncle and was not intended for a Halloween candy.[14]

 

• In 1974, eight-year-old Timothy O’Bryan died of cyanide poisoning after eating Halloween candy. Investigators later learned that his father had taken out a $20,000 life insurance policy on each of his children and that he had poisoned his own son and also attempted to poison his daughter.[14]

• According to the National Retail Federation, 40.1% of those surveyed plan to wear a Halloween costume in 2010. In 2009, it was 33.4%. Thirty-three percent will throw or attend a party.[7]

• In 2010, 72.2% of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation will hand out candy, 46.3% will carve a pumpkin, 20.8% will visit a haunted house, and 11.5% will dress up their pets.[7]

• Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years.[3][14]

• The longest haunted house in the world is "Factory of Terror" in Canton, Ohio.[5]

• Teng Chieh or the Lantern Festival is one Halloween festival in China. Lanterns shaped like dragons and other animals are hung around houses and streets to help guide the spirits back to their earthly homes. To honor their deceased loved ones, family members leave food and water by the portraits of their ancestors.[11]

• A child born on Halloween is said to have the ability to talk to spirits.[11]

• Halloween celebrations in Hong Kong are known as Yue Lan or the “Festival of the Hungry Ghosts” during which fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge.[11]

• In many countries, such as France and Australia, Halloween is seen as an unwanted and overly commercial American influence.[11]

Chances of children being in a pedestrian/car accident more than double on Halloween

• Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night.[11]

 

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• Both Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed Halloween capitals of the world.[11]

• Boston, Massachusetts, holds the record for the most Jack O’Lanterns lit at once (30,128).[9]

• Pumpkins are classified as a fruit, not as a vegetable. In fact, in 2006, New Hampshire declared that its state fruit is the pumpkin.[12]

• In a few American cities, Halloween was originally called "Cabbage Night." The name is on a Scottish fortune-telling game in which girls would use cabbage stumps to predict who their future husbands would be.[11]

• The original name of Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's famous book was Count Wampyr.[11]

• Comedian John Evans once quipped: “What do you get if you divide the circumference of a jack-o’-lantern by its diameter? Pumpkin π.”[4]

• The Village Halloween parade in New York City is the largest Halloween parade in the United States. The parade includes 50,000 participants and draws over 2 million spectators.[11]

• The blockbuster movie Halloween was filmed in just 21 days.[2]

• The movie Halloween was originally titled Babysitter Murders.[2]

• The sounds of stabbing in the Halloween movie is made by a knife being plunged into a watermelon.[2]

• In an attempt to decrease robberies and crime on Halloween, Walnut Creek, California banned masks without a permit.[1]

• In Bellville, Missouri, it is illegal to ask for candy if you are over the age of 13.[1]

• In Dublin, Georgia, it is illegal for anyone over the age of 16 to wear a mask, sunglasses, or any other facial covering on Halloween.[1]

• In Alabama, it is illegal to dress up as a priest or as a nun on Halloween.[1]

• The average bag of candy that one child will collect on Halloween contains about 11,000 calories.[6]

• The original creator of Milk Duds wanted to make the candies into perfect circles. When that proved impossible, he called them "duds." He added the word "milk" to refer to a large amount of milk used to make the candy.[10]

 

Halloween has taste.

 

Carpenter has a reputation for working very fast.

 

making halloween resin

 

A good dollar was spent on this.

 

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Understandable since the active ingredient in chocolate is theobromine which stimulates the central nervous system. Not that kids especially kids with ADHD need any further stimulation

 

That's true he does work fast and at least on one occasion during the filming of The Thing it almost led to a near tragic bus accident