Halloween

Halloween is a holiday that happens every year on October 31. Kids dress up in costumes and go from house to house asking for candy. People decorate their homes with pumpkins, ghosts, and spiders. Halloween is a night full of fun, treats, and spooky surprises.

Where Halloween Came From

Halloween started a very long time ago. It came from an old holiday called Samhain in a place called Ireland. People thought that on this night, spirits came back to visit. They lit big fires and wore costumes to scare the spirits away. Over time, people moved to America and brought the holiday with them. Now it is loved by kids all over the world.

A girl lights a candle to remember loved ones on Halloween.
A girl lights a candle to remember loved ones on Halloween. (Jashim Salam / Wikimedia Commons)

How We Celebrate

On Halloween, kids put on costumes like witches, ghosts, superheroes, and animals. They go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. At each house, they say 'trick or treat!' and get candy. Many people carve faces into pumpkins to make jack-o'-lanterns. Some families have parties with spooky games and yummy treats.

Fun Facts

  • The biggest pumpkin ever grown weighed more than 2,700 pounds!
  • Jack-o'-lanterns were first made out of turnips, not pumpkins.
  • Americans buy about 600 million pounds of candy every Halloween.

Did You Know?

The word 'Halloween' comes from 'All Hallows' Eve,' which means the night before a special day to remember the saints.