Halloween History Quiz

Halloween grew partly out of which Celtic festival?

1. Beltane
2. Samhain
3. Imbolc
4. Lughnasadh

Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of which season?

1. Spring
2. Summer
3. Autumn
4. Winter

The name “Halloween” is a shortened form of which phrase?

1. All Hallows' Eve
2. Hollow Evening
3. Holy Weekend
4. Harvest Evening

Which Christian feast falls on November 1, the day after Halloween?

1. All Souls' Day
2. All Saints' Day
3. Martinmas
4. Candlemas

In Ireland and Scotland, what were the first jack-o'-lanterns usually carved from?

1. Pumpkins
2. Turnips
3. Apples
4. Watermelons

In the Irish folk tale, who is the jack-o'-lantern named after?

1. Jack Frost
2. Stingy Jack
3. Jack Sprat
4. Jack the Giant Killer

People who went “souling” in medieval Britain were given which treat?

1. Soul cakes
2. Candy corn
3. Pumpkin pie
4. Toffee apples

Which immigrants did the most to bring Halloween customs to the United States in the 1800s?

1. Irish
2. Italian
3. German
4. Swedish

The earliest known printed uses of “trick or treat” come from newspapers in which country?

1. The United States
2. Ireland
3. Canada
4. Scotland

What is Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 1 and 2?

1. A Mexican version of Halloween
2. A celebration that welcomes back loved ones who have died
3. A Celtic new year
4. A pumpkin harvest festival

Halloween grew partly out of the Celtic festival of ____, pronounced “SOW-in.”

The name Halloween comes from All Hallows' ____, the evening before All Saints' Day.

“Hallow” is an old English word for a ____ or holy person.

Before pumpkins, people in Ireland and Scotland usually carved their lanterns out of ____.

In the Irish folk tale, the jack-o'-lantern is named after Stingy ____, who tricked the Devil.

Poor people who went “souling” were given small spiced ____ cakes.

In Scotland and Ireland, young people who dressed in disguise and went door to door were said to be going “____.”

Scotland's national poet, Robert ____, described Halloween customs in a poem in 1785.

The earliest known printed uses of “trick or treat” come from newspapers in ____.

In Mexico, November 1 and 2 are Día de los Muertos — the Day of the ____.