Halloween Trivia

30 questions · Answers revealed below each question · Print this set

1.Which stop-motion film features Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King?
- A. Coraline
- B. Corpse Bride
- C. Frankenweenie
- D. The Nightmare Before Christmas
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
Did you know? "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) was made in stop-motion animation.
2.All Saints' Day falls on which date?
- A. November 2
- B. October 31
- C. November 1
- D. December 6
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November 1
Did you know? All Saints' Day is November 1; All Souls' Day follows on November 2.
3.What is a group of witches called?
- A. A murder
- B. A coven
- C. A pack
- D. A flock
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A coven
Did you know? A "murder" is the collective noun for crows, not witches.
4.Which 1897 novel introduced Count Dracula?
- A. Dracula
- B. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
- C. Frankenstein
- D. The Phantom of the Opera
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Dracula
Did you know? Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was published in 1897.
5.In what year did the Salem witch trials take place?
- A. 1672
- B. 1699
- C. 1712
- D. 1692
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1692
Did you know? The Salem witch trials convulsed colonial Massachusetts in 1692.
6.Which magician and escape artist died on Halloween 1926?
- A. David Copperfield
- B. Howard Thurston
- C. Harry Houdini
- D. Harry Kellar
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Harry Houdini
Did you know? Harry Houdini died of peritonitis on October 31, 1926.
7.The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), celebrated November 1-2, is most associated with which country?
- A. Brazil
- B. Peru
- C. Spain
- D. Mexico
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Mexico
Did you know? Día de los Muertos is an independent Mexican tradition, not a Mexican Halloween.
8.In the Peanuts special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", which character waits for the Great Pumpkin?
- A. Snoopy
- B. Linus
- C. Charlie Brown
- D. Sally
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Linus
Did you know? Linus keeps his sincere pumpkin patch vigil every Halloween.
9.Which actress played Winifred, the eldest Sanderson sister, in "Hocus Pocus" (1993)?
- A. Bette Midler
- B. Dolly Parton
- C. Goldie Hawn
- D. Meryl Streep
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Bette Midler
Did you know? Bette Midler starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in "Hocus Pocus".
10.Which two colors are traditionally associated with Halloween?
- A. Red and black
- B. Black and orange
- C. White and blue
- D. Purple and green
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Black and orange
Did you know? Black represents death, and orange represents the autumn harvest.
11.The word "Halloween" is a shortening of which expression?
- A. Hallowmas Eve
- B. All Souls' Day
- C. Holy Evening
- D. All Hallows' Eve
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All Hallows' Eve
Did you know? "Halloween" shortens "All Hallows' Even(ing)", the eve of All Saints' Day.
12.Who directed the 1978 slasher film "Halloween"?
- A. Wes Craven
- B. John Carpenter
- C. George Romero
- D. Tobe Hooper
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John Carpenter
Did you know? John Carpenter co-wrote, directed and scored "Halloween" (1978).
13.Who directed Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video (1983)?
- A. Steven Spielberg
- B. Martin Scorsese
- C. Spike Lee
- D. John Landis
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John Landis
Did you know? John Landis directed the 14-minute "Thriller" video, released in 1983.
14.With which century's mass immigration did Halloween traditions spread across North America?
- A. The 20th century
- B. The 19th century
- C. The 17th century
- D. The 16th century
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The 19th century
Did you know? Irish and Scottish immigrants brought Halloween customs to America in the mid-1800s.
15.Which US state produces the most pumpkins?
- A. Indiana
- B. Iowa
- C. Illinois
- D. California
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Illinois
Did you know? Illinois farms grow the majority of America's processing pumpkins.
16.In which decade did trick-or-treating become widespread in the United States?
- A. The 1930s
- B. The 1950s
- C. The 1970s
- D. The 1900s
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The 1930s
Did you know? The term "trick or treat" first appeared in print in 1927 and spread in the 1930s.
17.In "Hocus Pocus" (1993), what brings the Sanderson sisters back to life?
- A. A black-flamed candle
- B. A burial ground
- C. A full moon
- D. An ancient book
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A black-flamed candle
Did you know? Lighting the Black Flame Candle on Halloween revives the Sanderson sisters.
18.Who had a 1962 novelty hit with "Monster Mash"?
- A. Bobby "Boris" Pickett
- B. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
- C. Sheb Wooley
- D. Warren Zevon
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Bobby "Boris" Pickett
Did you know? Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" reached number one in 1962.
19.Who directed "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)?
- A. Henry Selick
- B. Don Bluth
- C. Tim Burton
- D. Rob Minkoff
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Henry Selick
Did you know? Tim Burton wrote and produced the film, but Henry Selick directed it.
20.Which New York neighborhood hosts the largest Halloween parade in the United States?
- A. Brooklyn Heights
- B. SoHo
- C. Harlem
- D. Greenwich Village
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Greenwich Village
Did you know? The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade has run since 1973.
21.In "Halloween" (1978), what is the name of Michael Myers' hometown?
- A. Springwood
- B. Woodsboro
- C. Haddonfield
- D. Derry
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Haddonfield
Did you know? Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield, Illinois, fifteen years after his escape.
22.What are the three traditional colors of candy corn?
- A. Brown, orange and white
- B. Yellow, orange and white
- C. Red, orange and yellow
- D. Green, yellow and white
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Yellow, orange and white
Did you know? Candy corn has kept its yellow, orange and white kernel design since the 1880s.
23.John Carpenter's main theme for "Halloween" (1978) is built on a riff for which instrument?
- A. Theremin
- B. Piano
- C. Synthesizer
- D. Violin
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Piano
Did you know? Carpenter recorded the famous 5/4 piano theme himself.
24.The practice of "souling", a forerunner of trick-or-treating, began in which country?
- A. Wales
- B. Ireland
- C. Scotland
- D. England
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England
Did you know? Soulers promised prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes.
25.In Irish legend, which figure wanders the earth with a lantern carved from a turnip?
- A. Fionn mac Cumhaill
- B. A leprechaun
- C. A banshee
- D. Stingy Jack
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Stingy Jack
Did you know? The legend of Stingy Jack gave the jack-o'-lantern its name.
26.Which ancient Celtic festival, marking the end of harvest, is the root of Halloween?
- A. Lughnasadh
- B. Imbolc
- C. Samhain
- D. Beltane
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Samhain
Did you know? Samhain was celebrated from October 31 into November 1 in the Gaelic calendar.
27.Which Roman goddess of fruit and orchards is linked to Halloween apple traditions?
- A. Flora
- B. Ceres
- C. Pomona
- D. Diana
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Pomona
Did you know? Bobbing for apples is traced to the Roman festival of Pomona.
28.Which phobia refers to a fear of Halloween?
- A. Coulrophobia
- B. Nyctophobia
- C. Samhainophobia
- D. Arachnophobia
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Samhainophobia
Did you know? Samhainophobia takes its name from the festival of Samhain.
29.In Scotland, what is the Halloween tradition of dressing in costume and going door to door called?
- A. Mummering
- B. Wassailing
- C. Guising
- D. Souling
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Guising
Did you know? Scottish children "go guising" and perform a song or trick for their treats.
30.Before pumpkins, what vegetable were the first jack-o'-lanterns carved from?
- A. Gourds
- B. Beets
- C. Turnips
- D. Potatoes
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Turnips
Did you know? Irish and Scottish immigrants carved turnips before switching to American pumpkins.

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