Halloween Facts

Pumpkin Facts

Pumpkins are a fruit that originated in Central America.
The name "pumpkin" comes from the Greek word "pepon," meaning a large melon.
90% of the pumpkin is made up of water.
The yellow-orange flowers that bloom from a pumpkin vine are edible.
Using pumpkins as lanterns at Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic custom brought to America by European immigrants.
The world's heaviest pumpkin was grown by Chris Stevens (USA) and was recorded on October 9, 2010 weighing 1,810.5 lbs. (source: Guinness World Records)
Pumpkins, and their seeds, were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who treasured them both for their dietary and medicinal properties.
Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state in the country. It harvests nearly 12,300 acres of fruit.

The carving of jack-o'-lanterns originated from the tradition of carving the faces of lost souls into hollowed out pumpkins and turnips. A candle was placed inside the carvings making the faces glow. The Halloween lanterns were placed on doorsteps to ward off evil spirits.
The world's fastest time to carve a face into a pumpkin is 20.1 seconds, by David Finkle (UK), on October 7, 2010 (source: Guinness World Records)
More than 93 percent of children go trick-or-treating each year. (source: NCA)
Halloween also is recognized as the 3rd biggest party day after New Year's and Super Bowl Sunday.
Trick-or-treating is thought to have its origins in a European custom called souling where people would beg for "soul cakes."
There were estimated 36.8 million potential "trick-or-treaters" ages 5-13.
Legendary magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit from a ruptured appendix on Halloween in 1926.