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Halloween may seem like any other holiday - but it has a long and very strange history. It's not just about carving pumpkins, choosing a costume, and getting candy from your neighbors! Here are 17 fun and spooky facts about Halloween that you may not have known. Enjoy!

1. It is generally believed that Halloween has its origins in Ireland, and that trick-or-treating started from an old Celtic tradition of dressing in costumes and putting treats out to appease the spirits who they believed roamed the streets during Samhain - a sacred festival for the dead.

2. Though spooky full moons are often associated with Halloween, it's not a common occurrence. A completely full moon on Halloween only happens about every 19 years. The last one was in 2001, and the next will be Halloween 2020.

3. In 2019, people in the United States spent around 9 billion dollars on candy, costumes, and decorations - making Halloween the second biggest holiday shopping season. Of course, it's no surprise that Christmas comes in first.

4. According to superstition, if you see a spider on Halloween, it means that the spirit of a deceased loved one is nearby watching over you.

5. About half of children prefer to receive chocolate candy when trick or treating on Halloween.

6. Samhainophobia is the medical term for the fear of Halloween, or the fear of the festival of the dead. The term originates from 'Samhain', the ancient festival celebrated by the Celts.

7. Around 90 percent of Americans will buy candy for Halloween, at an estimated cost of 2.6 billion dollars.

8. The Village Halloween parade in New York City is reported to be the world's largest Halloween parade. It includes 50,000 to 60,000 costumed participants, and over 2 million spectators.

9. About 50% of Americans decorate the outside of their homes for Halloween

10. The colors orange and black are traditionally associated with Halloween - orange is meant to represent the fall harvest, and black to symbolize darkness and death. Remember that Halloween is believed to evolve from Samhain - a sacred festival for the dead.

11. The most expensive part of Halloween for many people is costumes - almost 70 percent of Americans will spend $3.2 billion on them.

12. In the US during the 1940's, trick or treating was suspended temporarily due to the rationing of sugar during World War II.

13. In 2019, about 175 million people celebrated Halloween - spending an average of $86.27 per person.

14. The Jack-o-Lantern is based on an old Irish legend about a man named Stingy Jack. According to this tale, Jack played tricks on the devil, and made the devil promise he would never claim his soul. When Jack died, God didn't think he was fit for heaven, and the devil had promised not to take him. He was left to roam the earth with only a coal for light, which he put into a turnip to use as a lantern. This legend began the tradition of carving scary faces into turnips, potatoes, beets, and eventually pumpkins - to scare away any spirits of the night.

15. Almost 75 percent of Americans will purchase Halloween decor, spending $2.7 billion.

16. During the Halloween season, about 90 million pounds of chocolate candy will be purchased.

17. Want to see a witch on Halloween? Put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards, - according to legend, you will see a witch at midnight.