Halloween's right around the corner, and we know everyone here in Maryland has been busy getting ready! Hopefully by now you've purchased your candy, put the finishing touches on your costume, and figured out which scary movie to watch. But if you're still looking for a few ways to celebrate the creepy season, we've got your back! Check out a few fun Halloween facts below.
1. According to research by All Home Connections, the most popular Halloween costume in Maryland this year is a ninja. It's the same in New Hampshire -- our neighbors to the north think alike!
2. And Maryland's best-selling Halloween candy this year? The honor goes to Hershey Kisses, which beat out last year's winner, Reese's Cups.
3. A quarter of all of the candy purchased in the USA each year is bought specifically for Halloween -- either to give out to all of the costumed trick-or-treaters or to keep for ourselves!
4. Traditional jack-o-lanterns weren't carved out of pumpkins. Instead, the people of Ireland and Scotland used native vegetables, like turnips and potatoes. When settlers arrived here, they found that the American pumpkin was well-suited to the job.
5. We may associate cards with holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day, but 17 million Halloween cards are sent each year, too! Did you receive one in the mail this year?
6. The most commercially successful horror movie was the 2017 version of Stephen King's "It", which grossed more than $700 million dollars! Clowns might scare us, but they also get us out and to the movies .
7. We bet most of your Halloween candy doesn't last very long. But let's say you do want to save it for later. How long can you keep it? If properly stored, chocolate can last around 2 years, while hard candy can last for a year. Who wants to wait that long, though?
8. Pets are getting in on the Halloween fun more than ever! Canine Journal says that pumpkins, hot dogs, and bumblebees all topped the list for dog costumes. But with a little imagination, you can dress your dog as nearly anything!
9. Candy corn is a divisive treat. Some people can't stand the stuff, while others say it's not Halloween without it. But did you know that it used to have a much more barnyard-inspired name? It was originally called chicken feed!
10. The first horror film to be nominated for an Oscar was "The Exorcist" -- and it received ten nominations! It ended up taking home Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay.
