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1. halloween is on the same day as Samhain, a wiccan holiday where all wiccans believe the bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead is connected; this is the only night that wiccans would perform a seance.

2. Ever wonder how trick-or-treating got started? On the evening before Samhain, people left food on their doorsteps to keep hungry spirits from entering the house. Festivalgoers started dressing in ghost, witch, and goblin costumes so wandering spirits would leave them alone. To this day, these are Halloween's most popular costumes.

3. The word witch comes from the Saxon word wicca, which means "wise one."

4. Black cats, those customary Halloween icons, were originally believed to be witches' familiars, a kind of cosmic sidekick who protected the witches' powers from negative forces.

5. About 99% of pumpkins marketed domestically are used as Jack O'Lanterns at Halloween.

6. In the United States, 86% of Americans decorate their homes for Halloween.

7. Legendary magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit of gangrene and peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix on Halloween in 1926.

8. Vampires think Halloween is tacky and don't bother going out that night.

9. The original Halloween film directed by John Carpenter in 1978 cost just $320,000 to make. It ended up making over $50m worldwide.

10. People have believed for centuries that light keeps away ghosts and ghouls. Making a pumpkin lantern with a candle inside may keep you safe from all the spooky spirits flying around on Halloween.

4. Black cats, those customary Halloween icons, were originally believed to be witches' familiars, a kind of cosmic sidekick who protected the witches' powers from negative forces.
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I heard that the tradition of jack 'o lanterns got started during colonial times when witches would go out on the thirty-first of October in search of female virgins from every house, and when the residents refused(which I think most did), the witches would place a flaming pumkin outside of the house so they would know to come back later and destroy the house.

Once upon a time there was a farmer by the name of Jack. He was rather likable, but had a terrible strain of laziness. His build was tall and lanky, his smile was lopsided (complete with a missing tooth), and his laugh was deep and rumbling.

One day, the Devil grew bored with tempting the rich folk - it was far too easy. He set out to find a poor boy, and soon set eyes upon Jack, who was sleeping under a big oak tree.

"Jack," said the Devil, "I've come to take your soul."

Well, Jack retorted with nary a blink, "If'n you can climb that oak tree and touch the top, then you kin have it." Of course, no one in the county could climb to the top of that tree, which Jack knew well.

The Devil took him up on the offer, and climbed the tree, but then he got stuck and couldn't get down.

"Jack, help me down," he said.

"Nope," Jack replied, "because if'n I do, you'll want to take my soul. If'n you stay in that tree, you cain't git me."

Well, the Devil is prone to making deals to get out of certain situations, and this was one of them. After some thought, he said, "Jack, if'n you help me down, I'll give you anythin' you want. Just name it."

Jack pondered this, walking around the tree and looking up at the Devil. Finally, he answered, "Okay. If'n I let you down, you have to promise me that you'll never allow me into hell."

The Devil agreed, and Jack helped him down.

Jack was very pleased by this turn of events, and proceeded to live a life full of drinking, gambling, and other men's women. Finally, he died.

He went to heaven, but of course the angel wouldn't let him in for his sins on earth. Jack went to the gates of Hell, but the demon wouldn't let him in - he'd made the deal himself. However, the demon did give him a way out - "There's no room at this end unless, of course, you can exchange your soul for another's."

Well, Jack complained, "But it's dark down here and I cain't see. How will I find someone to take my place?"

The demon threw Jack a burning coal. Jack, not being stupid, put the coal in a hollowed-out turnip. He walks between the worlds, searching for someone to take his place.

On Hallowe'en, when the veil between the worlds is thin, you can see Jack wandering, searching. If you hollow out a turnip and put a lighted candle inside, Jack will think you're lost like him, and won't try to trick you into taking his place - he never was a brilliant man.

Yay! I found my book!

Apparently, October 30th was 'Mischief Night'. It got progressively worse as the tradition wore on - eventually the KKK started doing really nasty stuff, and it just became an all-around dangerous night.

In the early twentieth century, the Boy Scouts started Trick-or-Treating Night to discourage crime and vandalism by keeping youngsters busy. Their efforts didn't put much of a dent in crime until World War II, when it became unpatriotic to vandalism property and waste resources. After the war, the efforts to revert to old customs of house-begging and parades resumed, and we got our modern celebration.

By the way, Guy Fawkes Day is also connected to Hallowe'en trick-or-treating traditions... Remember remember the first of November?
Hallowe'en started out as November Eve.

Kind cool, eh? rofl

Black cats were burned because of that, too. Lots of other creatures were also believed to be familiars, like lizards, and basically anything nocturnal.