When you live in a place where Halloween is such a big holiday, it's easy to forget that there are a lot of people who don't understand it the same way you do. So when it came time for Halloween, there were a lot of people on Twitter asking questions about it. We collected a whole bunch of questions that people have asked about the holiday in hopes of potentially answering them. If you have some questions, you should check out the list below and see if we can answer them for you.
Is Halloween A Month?
Our first question is why we think that Halloween is a month. Surely they can't mean they think we understand the holiday is one of the twelve months on the calendar, though we wouldn't be surprised if someone did think that considering the amount of time we spend on preparations. If by that question jack means that we think it lasts so long, the answer's pretty simple: why not?
For a holiday that's basically all about decorations and getting dressed up, it would be an awful waste to make it so short. That's why it's better to have it around for much longer.
Is It As Big As The Movies Make It Out To Be?
There are many people who don't get to celebrate Halloween whether it's due to their country's traditions or their own religious beliefs. In America, it doesn't matter whether or not you celebrate Halloween, you will definitely be surrounded by the spirit of the holiday. That's exactly what nelly wanted to know about: whether or not Halloween is really as big and exciting as it seems in movies and TV.
Well, we can say for a fact that it is. At least half the houses you'll see will be fully decorated, crowds of people are walking from door to door, and even people who don't celebrate are dressed up.
What Is Spirit Halloween?
So, the question this time is what is Spirit Halloween. No, they are not asking what Halloween spirit is, though if we had to guess that would be something very similar to Christmas spirit. We've never actually heard about this store until just now, but it's apparently a pretty popular pop-up store that sells Halloween decorations and apparel. Sounds like a really fun place to go shopping! We'll try to find one.
If you were hoping to get there yourself, they are pretty short-term. They're only open for a few months which really makes their store feel all that more special.
Are There Halloween Pop-Up Stores?
People want to know what kinds of things happen specifically for Halloween. for BlondeAvocado, they want to know if there are Halloween pop-up stores that open in random abandoned buildings. More specifically, they wanted to know about the shop Spirit Halloween. We've never actually seen one, which is surprising because there are apparently more than 1,400 stores around the United States and Canada, plus their shop is open year-long online.
So if you were hoping to find one, you can certainly look up their locations when they open from early August to November 2nd. Or you can order from them online.
Halloween Ghost?
A lot of people may not understand how Halloween is celebrated or how it relates to religion. In fact, it isn't exactly clear in any way since Halloween has become much more about the candy and costumes than it has about its original purpose. Originally, Halloween was an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain where people would light bonfires and wear costumes in an attempt to ward off ghosts.
So, Halloween is not directly related to any religious holiday. It has connections to religious events, but in essence, it doesn't have anything to do with gods. Especially not the ghost type.
Do Americans Say Fall Instead Of Autumn?
It seems that the vernacular that we Americans use can sometimes confuse those who are abroad. In fact, it seems likely that there are many people in the United States who would have no idea that it's abnormal to call autumn by its apparently less common name "fall". Well, em wanted to know whether or not we actually call it fall rather than autumn. Seems people outside of the US don't even know if that's a real thing.
Well, we want to tell you that everybody calls it fall, but that may not be true. Either way, Americans definitely call it fall considering it visualizes the season much more than "autumn does". Wonder why we don't have words for the other seasons, too.
Do All Americans Take It Seriously?
We kind of went over this before, but the question now coming from Sophie Hannah is whether or not Americans actually take Halloween as seriously as the ones on her Instagram. And the answer to that is probably yes, though this obviously varies between individuals. For those who really love this holiday, they'll go all out with the decorations and choosing the right outfit for that years' celebrations.
In fact, you'll probably see decorations up for a long time before the holiday even begins. And it's the perfect time to show yourself off, so Instagram can get especially hyped about the holiday.
What's With The Pumpkin Photoshoots?
Beth wants to know why Americans supposedly "get photoshoots of themselves hugging pumpkins every autumn". There are many things that people do to prepare themselves for the spooky holiday that is Halloween. Along with all the preparations, there's also a bunch of different traditional things that are associated with the holiday and the season that it takes place in. In America, this is the time where pumpkins are at their best.
Some of the best treats like pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice items are only available from stores during this season. People in America love pumpkins so much that you might happen upon these infamous pumpkin hugging photoshoots.
Better Decor
As well as all the seasonal treats that we get over here in America, autumn is the best time to get ready for Halloween. The holiday is so big here that not only people will go big for the holiday, but the stores that people shop at also go all out. Everyone is so focused on holiday items that it's not uncommon to find a whole bunch of gear that you wouldn't find otherwise.
So, if you're like Sarah and you feel jealous of all the things that we get here than anywhere else in the world, we think it's time you paid a visit to the US of A to stock up on all these great things.
Christmas In London Is Better Than American Halloween
Halloween may be one of the biggest holiday events in America, but that doesn't mean it's the best in the world. According to Megan, she "just saw a post that Americans might win at Halloween but nothing beat a British Christmas and honestly it's so true". While that may be the case, we're very fond of the festivities that take place over here across the pond. And our Christmas is nothing to scoff at either.
But we will take the compliment while we can still get it. If you want a Halloween experience like none other, than you're just going to have to make your way over here.
What's With The Holiday Names?
If you were like Decap and wondered why we call most holidays by name unlike the 4th of July, you should read this excerpt from slate.com's article about it: "While traveling through Connecticut in 1807 and 1808, early American chronicler Edward Augustus Kendall saw citizens assembling on a knoll to celebrate 'the Fourth of July, or Independent or Independence Day.' 'Fourth of July' overtook both 'Independence Day' and 'Independent Day' in newspaper articles and toasts to George Washington during the 19th century."
Additionally, they added, "In an article for New England magazine in 1890, historian Edward Hale wrote, 'in my boyhood, the event … was called independence day much more than it is now.'" So while it was once more common, it has mostly fallen out of favor.
What Do You Do With The Costumes After?
The thing about Halloween is that it only lasts a day and then you're kind of stuck with all the costumes and decorations and things. But then what do you do with it? This was the biggest question that the biz had over on Twitter, and we think it's a pretty valid question. People don't typically wear the same costume year after year. Some keep them and use them years later, while others don't.
There are plenty of people who would donate their costumes to charity and a bunch of others who get a new one every single year. If you're Jewish, you can use the costume for Purim, too (assuming you dress up on both). Plenty of things to do with them.
What Does Candy Corn Taste Like?
One of the other traditional foods that we have on Halloween is candy corn. We didn't realize this at first, but it seems like candy corn is not that common outside of the US. It stands to reason that not everyone would have tasted it before, and that's exactly what @y9miya wants to know. If we're going to be honest, there's no good way to describe the flavor other than it doesn't taste anything like corn.
Despite the three colors, it only has one flavor. It's very sweet since it's just sugar and definitely has a unique flavor. We personally prefer it for its waxy texture, but perhaps people hate it so much because it's so common and not that delicious compared to all the other candy they get.
Why Do People Hate Getting Raisins?
When you go trick or treating, you expect to get, well... a trick or a treat. Actually, most people don't expect a trick at all, so it's kind of strange that we still use the phrase when someone answers the door. Tramar but spooky wanted to know why Americans hate receiving raisins when they go trick or treating. They're sweet, delicious, and come in a convenient little box just right for the occasion.
Well, the best answer is that most people who trick or treat are little kids who are used to getting candy and chocolate, not healthy snacks. As adults, though, we enjoy the little raisin boxes, too. Depends on who you are.
Do You Leave The Bowl Outside?
On Halloween, many people do many things. Some will stay inside whether or not they celebrate the holiday, others will go out with their kids or friends to go trick or treating. When you think about it, it's hard to believe that every door you go to will respond because some might be out with their kids and others will avoid taking a part in the holiday altogether.
For those who can't stay home to give kids their treats, they might leave a bowl out in the front. This can potentially go well, but there are never any promises. To answer the question, most won't do this.
Do You Actually Actually Decorate Your Houses?
Sar asked whether or not Americans actually decorate their houses for Halloween. The answer to that is if you enjoy the holiday, then probably yes. One of the biggest traditions of big Hallmark holidays in the United States is the decorating of one's home. Like Christmas, these decorations usually go up a week or two before the holiday and can even stay up as long as a week to a month after!
While this sounds extreme, most people definitely decorate and clean up within a week of the holiday, but there are some who just leave them up to really get a good bang for their buck.
Do You Out Candles In Your Pumpkins?
Some of the most fun things to decorate on Halloween are the pumpkins and other gourds that you can find all over the place. People love to make jack-o'-lanterns because they can literally make any kind of face they want in the pumpkin. What Don Martini wants to know, however, is whether or not people here actually put candles in their pumpkins. And the answer is that it depends.
Depending on the safety hazards, some people will opt to put electrical candles into their pumpkins. But for those who are extra daring (and extra safe) the traditional way might appeal to them.
Do You Think People Take Halloween Too Seriously?
As far as holidays go, Halloween is probably one of the biggest and most celebrated holidays in the whole country. It almost definitely comes up right behind Christmas and it is for that reason that the holiday celebrations can be pretty extreme. Like we said before, people might leave their decorations up for a longer time than necessary and they also go all out when it comes to choosing a costume.
The holiday is also a great excuse to be with friends and have parties. And with all the money that goes into it, it stands to reason that people will take it very seriously.
Do Americans Wear Fancy Dress To Work?
The Joe Griffin wanted to know "Do Americans wear fancy dress to work on Halloween or does that only happen on TV?" If by fancy dress you mean the costumes that we put on for the holiday, then yes, we do. Well, that is if it is appropriate for the company you work for. There are many places, though, that people don't dress up at work, but it's not punishable because of the holiday.
In those cases, it can be pretty awkward for the person who's dressed up all alone. That being said, it's all in good fun and many work places have costume events for their employees.
Do Americans Actually Eat Pumpkins?
Gt on Twitter wanted to know, "out of curiosity, do Americans actually eat pumpkins or they just grow them for Halloween?" The answer is pretty simple: yes, and pumpkin is one of the best flavors out there!! Granted, we typically don't eat them by cooking them up in the oven, but there are people that do do that (and it's also common outside of the United States as well).
The thing is that we typically eat pumpkins in the form of a pie filling or a latte with seasoning made from the pumpkin. It may be more popular to eat them processed, but we sure do eat a lot of pumpkins.
Do Americans Celebrate Halloween Like In The Movies?
Halloween is so special to us here in America that you may often see it in movies or TV shows. It's just that iconic. But is that how it really works? That's what Shannon wanted to know: "Do Americans celebrate Halloween the way they do in the movies or is that just a stereotype?" We can say with complete confidence that a lot of people definitely celebrate it the same way.
In fact, the way that Halloween is portrayed in media might have actually helped it to become this way. Whatever the case, Halloween is celebrated hard by so many people. It's not a stereotype.
Do They Really Decorate For Halloween Like They Do Christmas?
We mentioned this before but joanna also wanted to know, "Do Americans seriously decorate their houses for Halloween like its christmas". The answer hasn't changed: that would be a hard yes. We've seen so many people who are so excited to decorate their houses that they get on it as early as possible. And we've said this before, too, but there are people who leave their decorations up for too long.
You may not believe us, but there is always that one. You may have to drive a few streets away, but they aren't that hard to find. And you know what? We think that people sometimes decorate them harder than they do Christmas.
Do People Get Halloween Off In America?
Despite being a holiday that's widely celebrated across America, even by those who aren't of that culture, there aren't many federal regulations on the day itself. Someone wants to know if we get any vacation days for it. The answer is almost never. We think that it's possible somewhere might give the day off, but we have to see it to believe it. We've certainly never gotten time off for it.
Wouldn't that be something? Getting a day off for Halloween would be really nice and would give you all that time to prepare or at least have a day off after a crazy party.
Do People Get A Week Off Like In The UK And Ireland?
This list is supposed to be about questions that non-Americans have for us regarding Halloween. Little did we know that we would end up with a question that just leaves us asking questions. Over on Twitter, cari asked, "do americans get a week off for halloween like in the uk and ireland?" What we're wondering is what exactly do you mean by that? A vacation for Halloween? The answer is no!
We've never even heard of such a thing. Maybe some schools will give a day to their student, but we never went to a school like that. That's crazy lucky!
Why Do Americans Love Halloween So Much
Many people don't understand what the big deal with Halloween is. Many of these questions were aimed at trying to understand the rationale behind our extensive celebrations for this holiday. This time, we're being asked straight up why we love the holiday so much. Humorously, we were also asked if it's in our genetics. The answer to that second part is obviously a no, but if you want to know, we might have a simple explanation.
There aren't many holidays where you get to dress up. This is the one holiday that makes costumes normal in public and that's super fun. Moreover, candy and decorations are especially exciting.
What's Up With Pun Halloween Costumes?
We were wondering if someone was going to ask about this. Rob Mahal asked, "Why do Americans love pun Halloween costumes so much? You don’t have to be Kanye Westworld you can just be Kanye West." The truth is that he's right. These puns can be pretty bad and some are rather stupid, but the thing is that other Halloween costumes are just so overdone and people are looking for creative ways to change them.
If you went to a party where every year someone was Kanye West, it would get a bit old. Not to mention there isn't a real costume for him. And puns are funny!
Do They Actually Eat All Those Carved Up Pumpkins?
ri-Warui says, "I've always wondered: do americans actually eat all those pumpkins they carve for halloween?" We've already covered the basics of what kinds of foods we make pumpkins into, but seeing as this question is a little different, we're going to give a different answer. Basically, the pumpkins that most people carve up don't get eaten. What each person does with it is not known as there's no standard way to dispose of them. but there are a few things you could do.
But there are a few things you could do with them. If you take good care of it, perhaps you could eat it. Otherwise, you can compost it, which is super environmentally friendly. Or trash it, but those first two options are probably better.
Do Americans Realize The Pumpkin Obsession Is Strange?
Well, speaking of pumpkins, this question from Andrew F has us rethinking our eating habits: "Do Americans know that the rest of the world thinks their obsession with pumpkins is a little strange?" To be honest, yes, we know that everyone thinks it's weird how much we love pumpkins. But we don't care, and that's probably because we've seen the light. If you had access to what we do, you'd feel the same way.
That being said, it isn't just about the pumpkins. The pumpkins mean the coming of fall (autumn) which is probably the best month of the year. Not too hot, not too cold, great smells and beautiful piles of leaves.
Why Do They Think It Lasts A Whole Month?
Mu5hy 5nUgGL3b1T3s asked, "Why do Americans think Halloween lasts for an entire month when in fact it’s literally one day, and mainly the evening at that!!!" Well, this is pretty similar to some of the things we mentioned before. The thing is that if we didn't celebrate it for as long as we did it would be a pretty boring holiday considering it really only lasts one night.
If we didn't make it last, it wouldn't be as big of a deal and it would eventually die away. Nobody wants that because everyone loves Halloween, so why should we stop?
What's Up With Halloween Shops?
Considering Halloween is such a big event to a lot of people, it makes sense that there would be a lot of shops with Halloween items available. That's what noah was wondering; why do we have so many Halloween shops (or shops in general). If we are going, to be honest, it all comes down to capitalism. Shops know people want Halloween stuff, so they'll sell products year long because there's always demand.
That's the thing: it's kind of weird that there are so many shops year-long rather than the format Spirit Halloween uses. But we love Halloween, so having the ships are not that bad.
Do Celebrities Dress Up Just For Photoshoots?
This is one of the best questions we've heard so far: "Do these American celebs dress up for Halloween to take pics then take the clothes off?" Honestly, that sounds about right. Considering the fact that celebs just want more exposure and are always in the public eye, we wouldn't be surprised if they put on costumes for but a second before going on to do better things with their time.
That being said, we can't speak for them. We're sure there are some celebrities who actually keep their costumes on if they have kids, but honestly, we just don't know.
Do Americans Realize Halloween Isn't The Same Outside The USA?
This one is going to blow your mind if you're an American: "do Americans not realize that Halloween isn’t a thing in most of the world?" Honestly... if we're really going, to be honest, we didn't think about it! Here we are talking all about the questions people have and we didn't stop to think that the people asking might be wondering all these questions because they just don't have it where they are.
So, to answer the question, no, they don't. It's so big in our country that it's hard to think about it not being the same everywhere else. But that's to e expected in some places.
Do Americans Learn C'est L'halloween?
@therealkatina on Twitter wants to know if we learn C'est Halloween. We've never heard of it so that probably answers the question. We're assuming that you're talking about the song by Elliott Brood. Considering it's French, we think the closest you would get to that (assuming you don't count Canada as America) is learning it in French class. Otherwise, you would have to talk to Canadians, but we're realizing that you probably are Canadian.
After seeing this question we went and looked it up. We have to say that we like the song, but couldn't understand a word. Still, there's probably someone out there who learned it in French class.
Does Everyone In America Pronounce It Like It's Spelled Hollaween?
BabyBun7 wants to know, "do all Americans pronounce Halloween like "Hollaoween"?? cause that's gross". Well, we here come from a whole bunch of different places. We can say for sure that in the midwest people are definitely going to pronounce it like that. But maybe if you go to Texas or somewhere near there, you can find someone who says it differently. It's all a matter of what accent you have.
But we have to say, anything other than "Hollaween" sounds weird to us. It's all a matter of taste and perspective. To some, it wouldn't bother them one way or another, but we've met a lot of people picky on the way words are pronounced.
If Americans Do Anything Right...
This one isn't exactly a question, but all the same, we'd love to talk about it. Someone mentioned before that Halloween cannot compare to a Christmas in London. Sure that's true, but Halloween is our pride and joy. Anything that feels even remotely Halloweeny is available to us. We've got pumpkins, cool costumes, and even abandoned buildings if you're into that! And the way people celebrate makes the whole country feel like a community.
So thank you for the compliment. We will wear this one proudly. Halloween is truly a magical experience, so if you haven't gotten a chance to try it, come to America!