At a cross between fall in winter, as the leaves are changing and the temperature is dropping, Halloween is coming upon us. The day devoted to candy, costumes, carving pumpkins, bats, vampires, ghosts and ghouls. These are just some of the characteristics that have helped design our childhoods and brought a time of joy and carelessness.

There were those awesome movies on the Disney Channel, like Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, My Mom had a Date with a Vampire, Casper the Friendly Ghost, or Twitches. But then as we got older, the movies got scarier. Michael Myers, Nightmare on Elm Street, Carrie, The Shining, The Exorcist, Blair Witch Project or the newly released Paranormal Activity trilogy.

We all had the chance to dress up like a witch, a ninja, a princess or a Power Ranger.  Americans have shifted and altered the world’s perception of Halloween into one of free-living recklessness and sugary comas.

The true origin of Halloween is sparked from an ancient Celtic ceremony from over 2,000 years ago in what is now, Ireland, who celebrated the New Year on Nov. 1.  They always associated the New Year with the death associated from the crops destruction caused by the cold winters.  They believed that the lines between the living and the dead began to blur and the Samhain ghosts were what returned to kill the harvests. Druids, or Celtic priests, would start bonfires and perform a chanting ritual to make predictions of the future, dressed up in costumes of animals skins and helmets. They sacrificed animals to the Gods and basically had a big par-tay. Then, the next day became the All Souls Day …. the one night when the spirits of the dead could return to Earth. Spooky.

According to History Chanel’s website, Halloween is the oldest celebrated holiday in history. Trick-or-treating was established tons of years later, when poor people would travel to the wealthy and received pastries called “Soul Cakes”  in return for the promise and pledge to pray for the dead relatives of their family. Didn’t know that, did ya? It’s something to think about the next time you shout “Trick or Treat” when the door opens. I’m sure threatening to de-pants the person if they don’t feed you in respecting their deceased family. FYI: the term “Trick of Treat” comes from an old Peanuts cartoon. Disney then made a comic strip with Donald Duck and his three nephews in 1952. There are also spin offs of Halloween in other cultures. There is Dia de los Muertos —- three-day celebration in Mexico that is in honor of the return of your family’s spirits. Or in England, there is Guy Fawkes Day on Nov. 5 when a  notorious English traitor once tried to set the parliament building on fire.

Now that we’ve had a little history lesson, just a few reminders. We have no school on Halloween this year, because of Teacher Institute Day on Monday, the 31st. When you’re out trick-or-treating, always stay in a group and don’t go to houses without a light on. We all know the cardinal rule of never eating opened candy (but I thought a reminder couldn’t hurt). Also, BE AWARE OF CURFEW. Cops will be laying down the law this year in terms of being out after curfew, so stay safe and smart and wait until you get home to collapse from sugar intake.

OTHER FUN FACTS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU WIN ON JEOPARDY SOME DAY:

• Roman author Pliny the Younger recorded the first ghost sightings in his journal during the First Century.
• Instead of bobbing for apples, in Ireland they call it “snap-apple” where it’s tied around a tree or door frame and a wild and hysterical game ensures.
• The Largest pumpkin pie was baked in 2005 and weighed 2020 pounds
• 865 A.D was the first poltergeist (or spooky ghost that bangs around and makes disturbances) sighting was in a farmhouse in Germany
• Pumpkin seeds should be planted in the last week of May to the middle of June
• What an Average American Spent on Halloween in 2010

                                            Halloween Costumes: $23.3 

                                           Halloween Candy: $20.20

                                           Decorations: $18.66

                                          Greeting Cards: $3.95(Source: 2010 National Retail Federation survey.)

• Lady GaGa and Snooki were some of the biggest teen costumes in 2010.

For more Halloween-tacular Info: check out http://www.history.com/topics/halloween