Only 4 days left til Halloween!  As you scour the aisles of party stores and search Google for inspiration for the perfect costume, I thought it would be nice to share a few interesting trivia facts about the holiday.  So take note of these interesting tidbits and make sure to share them at your Halloween gatherings this year.

DID YOU KNOW…

  • The first Halloween celebration in America took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.
  • Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion annually in the United States. It is the largest candy-purchasing holiday, bigger than Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day!
  • The first Halloween card was made in the early 1920’s. These days, over 28 million Halloween cards are sent each year. U.S. consumers spend about $50 million on Halloween greetings.
  • Over $1.5 billion is spent on costumes each year.
  • About 99% of pumpkins that are marketed domestically are turned into jack-o-lanterns.
  • More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year.
  • Of all canned fruits and vegetables, pumpkin is the best source of vitamin A. Just a half-cup of the orange stuff has more than three times the recommended daily requirement.
  • The very first jack-o’-lantern was made from a turnip.
  • In 2007, the major pumpkin-producing states produced a total of 1.1 billion pounds of the orange gourd in 2007, valued at $117 million. Illinois led the pack, producing 542 million pounds. California, New York, and Ohio each produced at least 100 million pounds.
  • Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Mark and I are going as characters from a famous movie this year.  What are you dressing as for Halloween?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!