Although it’s always spooky on Notebook of Ghosts, I thought I might share some links on history specific to Halloween. I looked through my favorite websites and created a short list for Halloween Weekend reading. Enjoy!
The History of Candy Corn: Halloween’s Most Iconic and Reviled Treat – Atlas Obscura
“Halloween provides a cavalcade of whimsical scares for children and adults alike, but nothing chills the bones quite as much as the piles of candy corn left at the bottom of pumpkins and pillowcases across America.”
The Reason for Your Halloween Candy Paranoia – Jezebel
“Timothy wasn’t killed by a maniac getting children to unknowingly participate in a game of Russian Roulette with cyanide-tainted candy. He was killed by his father, Ronald, in an equally tragic and pathetic attempt at some good, old-fashioned insurance fraud.”
11 Fun Historical Newspaper Clippings about Halloween – mental_floss
“Halloweens of yesteryear were filled with treats, but many more tricks—or at least that’s how it seems from contemporary newspaper clippings.”
Halloween Folklore and Superstitions – Folklore Thursday
“We all know that Hallowe’en, as a festival, is not an invention of the trick-or-treating Americans but it is far older than many people realise. Its origin can be seen in the ancient festival of Samhain, a celebration which marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter.”
How Detroit Exorcised Devil’s Night – Atlas Obscura
“Some call it Mischief Night, others Cabbage Night but the night before Halloween, with its long history of pranks escalating into chaos and destruction, is perhaps best known as Devil’s Night. Halloween tricks are nothing new, but Devil’s Night in Detroit has historically brought out some of the worst vandalism and arson.”
Notebook of Ghosts 