Of course I would do something on Halloween. Our family has always loved the stories and the lore of Halloween. We have great Christmas memories but we also have great Halloween memories. I once heard someone say that Halloween ushers in the season of ghosts and warm fires that continues through Christmas. With that let’s see what you know about Halloween and some of the characters and stories of Halloween.

1) Halloween gets its name from what?
a) the ancient Latin word for “Harvest”
b) the start of the autumn season in the British Isles.
c) the germanic holiday “hallaw oteen”
d) as the evening before All Saints day.

2) Many of the customs of Halloween come from a Celtic festival called
a) dia de los muertos
b) Saturnalia
c) Samuin
d) Bachanalia

3) The story of the headless horseman is the main event in what famous early American story?
a) “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
b) “The House of Seven Gables”
c) “The Mask of the Red Death”
d) “The Last of the Mohicans”

4) In 1962 (damn near 50 years ago) The country was taken by a record called “Monster Mash.” The singer on the record was imitating the voice of what famous horror film actor?
a) Bela Lugosi
b) Boris Karloff
c) Peter Lorre
d) Vincent Price

5) We always think of lit pumpkins on Halloween. However, long before the pumkins, Europeans were carving these to use as lanterns?
a) Watermelons
b) Cantaloupes
c) Gourds
d) Turnips

6) The novel character Dracula is believed to be based on a real life person. Who is that person?
a) Charlemagne
b) Caligula
c) Vlad Dragwylia
d) Eric the Red

7) Edgar Allan Poe could sure tell a scary tale. In what story does a man’s guilt cause him to hear sounds that do not exist?
a) “The Telltale Heart”
b) “Murders in The Rue Morgue”
c) “The Raven”
d) “The Fall of The House Of Usher”

8) Which of the following is NOT another name for the devil?
a) Magog
b) Diablo
c) Old Scratch
d) Beelzebub

9) How did those convicted in the Salem Witch Trials die?
a) Burning at the stake.
b) Drowning
c) Hanging
d) Stoning

10) While around somewhat in various forms for a long time, when did trick-or-treating became widespread in the US?
a) around 1920 or after WWI
b) around 1950 or after WWII
c) During the 1930s and the Great Depression
d) the 1970s.

Halloween is just about my favorite what with all the ghosties and ghoulies. My apologies to the Zombies union for not having a question about you. Maybe next year.
By the way – do Zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?
NO – fingers are eaten seperately. (I kill me!)

here we go:
1) d) “Halloween” is a contraction for “All hallowed’s evening” or the night before All Saint’s Day
2) c) Samuin – Samuin was a harvest festival that celebrated harvest and prepared for a long winter.
3) a) Who can forget the timid Ichabod Crane meeting the headless horseman on Halloween night in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
4) b) Boris Karloff was imitated by Bobby “Boris” Pickett.
5) d) Turnips of course
6) c) AKA “Vlad the Impaler.” The last name above could also be written “Dracul” meaning “little Dragon” of Romania
7) a) “The Telltale Heart”
8) a) Magog who was a son of Noah (I think)
9) c) despite stories of them being burned, 19 were hung and five died in prison.
10) b) Trick-or-treating became widespread @1948 – 1950 due in large part to media promotion of it.

Oops. I forgot to throw in a question about Iowa City’s world famous Halloween icon. Well, you are too smart of a crowd not to know what I am talking about. Make up your own question and make it hard. I have standards, you know.

Happy Halloween!