Halloween has become one of the more popular traditions in the United States. In the four years prior to 2020, around 70% of Americans planned to participate in Halloween celebrations, according to Statista, a market and consumer data provider.
And while COVID-19 is expected to put a damper on the holiday, 58% of Americans still plan to celebrate Halloween.
The holiday’s origins trace back to more than 2,000 years ago in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Their new year began on Nov. 1, and the night before was a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred.
On Oct. 31, ghosts returned to earth in search of food and comfort while more sinister spirits enjoyed a night of mischief, which included destroying crops.
And while menacing spirits may or may not have been the cause of a lost harvest, they inspired a tradition of trickery and hijinx that has lasted millennia.