Halloween is many people's favorite time of year. It's a blast to dress up in silly and scary costumes and enjoy treats galore. Do you know the real history of this celebration? Share these fun facts with your class when you're not busy teaching subjects on the Common Core State Standards test:
Tricks or treats?
According to Real Simple, when trick-or-treating became common in the U.S., most kids preferred to play tricks than to ask around for treats. Today the tradition has changed, with many people dressing as their favorite characters (spooky or not) and visiting with the neighbors as they exchange candy. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that around 41.2 million children ages 5 to 14 participated in this fun holiday activity during 2013. Just think of what that number would look like if it included kids under 5 and older than 14!
A plethora of pumpkins
People carve images of creepy cats and wicked witches into pumpkins every October. Illinois, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan commonly grow these gourds, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The TODAY show reported that in 2014, the largest pumpkin ever recorded earned a Guinness World Record. The farmer grew the pumpkin in Switzerland and it weighed 2,323 pounds.
Popular costumes
Business Insider looked into the most popular costumes for Halloween 2015. The top contenders include the blue/black white/gold dress that caused a Twitter storm earlier this year. Other favorites range from Harley Quinn to New York City's pizza rat to Donald Trump to any character in the "Star Wars" franchise. Halloween Express listed the top kids costumes as a minion from "Despicable Me," various Marvel superhero characters, Baymax from "Big Hero 6" and the emotions in the Disney Pixar movie "Inside Out." Of course, Elsa and Olaf from "Frozen" will also be high on the list, as well as spooky options like ghosts, ghouls, bats and pumpkins.
Halloween weather
Many parents worry about the weather ahead of time so they can plan their kids' costumes around the temperatures, allowing room for a couple of layers of warmth. It's not a bad idea to plan ahead and check the forecast so you're dressed appropriately for snow, rain or heat. Some areas of the South see high temperatures and warm winds. Northern states like Alaska and Maine, however, may have several feet of snow at this time in October.
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