This section contains 10 themed articles focused on History & Culture.
Browse all the pages in this wave and open any article to read a fuller guide.
Tracing the roots of the modern holiday back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the thinning of the veil.
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How 'souling' and 'guising' in medieval Europe transformed into the modern American tradition of neighborhood candy collecting.
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From carving terrifying faces into turnips in Ireland to ward off Stingy Jack, to the adoption of the native North American pumpkin.
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Exploring the folklore, superstitions, and historical trials that linked these specific symbols to the spooky season.
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How other cultures honor the dead in late October and early November, and why it is crucial not to treat them simply as 'Mexican Halloween'.
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How Great Depression-era parents created basement trails of terror to keep kids out of trouble, sparking a massive modern industry.
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How 1930s Universal Pictures monster movies codified the classic aesthetic of Halloween horror.
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The 1880s origin of 'Chicken Feed' and why this tricolored buttercream candy remains the most polarizing treat of the season.
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A historical look at the 'stranger danger' panic of the 1980s, X-raying candy, and the reality behind the urban legends.
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How Halloween grew into a multi-billion dollar retail industry second only to Christmas in consumer spending.
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