Halloween Facts 2013: 5 Fun Details About Halloween

By Clare Morris, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tonight will be filled with candy and costumes, but before you head out for some Trick or Treating, check out these five unusual little-known fun facts about Halloween.

1. Don't dress as clergy in Alabama!

If you live in Alabama be careful which costume you choose! It is illegal to dress up as any member of the clergy. The law reads: "Whoever, being in a public place, fraudulently pretends by garb or outward array to be a minister of any religion, or nun, priest, rabbi or other member of the clergy, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00 or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment."

2. Fear of Halloween is real.

While haunted houses and spooky costumes can make you jump and scream with fright, being scared on Halloween is much more serious for others, particularly those who suffer from samhainophobia, or the fear of Halloween.

3. Chocolate is the most popular Halloween candy!

Chocolate is the big winner on Halloween, as market research suggests it is the most popular candy choice on Oct. 31.

"According to a recent survey from the National Confectioners Association, 72 percent of all candy spending this Halloween will be on chocolate. Last year, more than $12.6 billion was spent on chocolate in the United States, 3.8 percent more than the year before," USA Today reported.

4. "Despicable Me" minions are the most popular costume!

Judging by the frequency of Google searches, it seems that the minion from the movie "Despicable Me" is the most popular Halloween costume of 2013.

"Minion costume" topped Google's list of trending Halloween searches in this month. It was followed by "Miley Cyrus costume," according to the New York Daily News.

5. Pumpkins are actually (technically) berries.

Pumpkins belong to a classification of plant that technically qualify them as berries. Pumpkins belong to the family Cucurbitaceae: cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds all share the same designation.