Halloween 2014 is on its way and people all around the world are busy deciding their costumes for the spooky festival this year.
However, candy, costumes, pumpkins, goblins and witches are not the only elements of Halloween. The day has a history in itself, which is known to only a few people.
So here are the few lesser known facts about Halloween:
The origin of Halloween comes from the Celts who had the belief that at the end of harvest season on 31 October, ghosts come down to destroy their crops. And so, dressing up in animal and other costumes was considered a way to confuse the ghosts.
The word Halloween is derived from All Hallows' Eve, which comes before All Saints' Day, a feast day celebrated by Catholics.
Business Insider reports that a full moon on Halloween, which is mostly shown in horror movies, is very rare in fact. The last one was in 2001 and the next one will occur in 2020.
The report also stated that Halloween is the "second-most commercial American holiday of the year". The estimation goes to $6 billion annually, which includes costumes, decorations and candy.
The Halloween prank products were banned in Hollywood since 2004 and, if found to be in use, the fine is $1000. It was banned because "thousands of bored people would buy it on the streets of Hollywood from illegal vendors and vandalize the streets".
