160 Halloween Trivia Questions and Answers for a Fun Night
Are you ready to challenge your knowledge of all things spooky and fun? Our collection of Halloween trivia questions and answers is the perfect way to add some excitement to your October festivities.
Whether you’re hosting a costume party, enjoying a family gathering, or just love to learn quirky facts about this ghostly holiday, these questions will entertain and enlighten. So grab a pumpkin spice treat, gather your friends and family, and get ready to dive into the spirit of Halloween with our engaging trivia!
160 Halloween Trivia Questions and Answers
Halloween History Trivia Questions and Answers
1. What ancient festival is Halloween believed to have originated from?
Answer: Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival.
2. Which civilization’s practices contributed to the modern celebration of Halloween?
Answer: The Romans, who celebrated festivals like Feralia and Pomona Day.
3. In what century did wearing costumes on Halloween become popular?
Answer: The 16th century.
4. What was the original purpose of wearing costumes during Halloween historically?
Answer: To disguise oneself from spirits or ghosts.
5. What vegetable was originally carved before pumpkins became popular for Halloween?
Answer: Turnips.
6. From which two words does the name “Halloween” derive?
Answer: “Hallow” and “eve,” referring to the eve of All Saints’ Day.
7. When was the tradition of trick-or-treating thought to have started?
Answer: In the early 20th century in America.
8. What did people historically go door-to-door asking for during Halloween?
Answer: Soul cakes, in a practice known as “souling.”
9. Which country is believed to be the birthplace of Halloween?
Answer: Ireland.
10. What item is traditionally used in a game of bobbing for apples during Halloween?
Answer: Apples in a tub or basin of water.
11. In which century did the practice of bobbing for apples on Halloween begin?
Answer: It began in the Roman era but became popular as part of Halloween festivities in the 18th century.
12. How did immigrants to North America influence Halloween traditions?
Answer: Irish and Scottish immigrants brought over the traditions of carving jack-o’-lanterns and celebrating with costumes and games.
13. What popular Halloween activity was originally a form of divination in Scotland?
Answer: Bobbing for apples; it was thought to predict future romances.
14. What was the typical material of early Halloween costumes in North America?
Answer: Costumes were typically homemade and made from inexpensive materials like old clothes and sheets.
15. Which American president first celebrated Halloween at the White House?
Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower.
16. What fear-inducing folklore creature was believed to roam around during Halloween according to Irish and Scottish traditions?
Answer: The Headless Horseman.
17. What historical figure is often erroneously associated with the origin of Halloween?
Answer: None specifically, but myths often misattribute the festival to pagan gods like Samhain, who is not a deity but rather the festival itself.
18. When did Halloween become commercialized in the United States?
Answer: In the early 20th century, particularly after the mass production of Halloween costumes started in the 1930s.
19. What was the original purpose of bonfires during the Samhain festival?
Answer: To ward off evil spirits.
20. In medieval Europe, what was another common name for Halloween?
Answer: All Hallows’ Eve.
Halloween Candy Trivia Questions and Answers
1. What is the best-selling candy bought during the Halloween season in the United States?
Answer: Candy corn.
2. Approximately how many pounds of candy corn are produced each year?
Answer: Over 35 million pounds.
3. Which chocolate candy bar is most commonly handed out on Halloween?
Answer: Snickers.
4. In what decade did trick-or-treating become associated with giving out candy?
Answer: The 1950s.
5. What candy was traditionally made using a method called “cornstarch modeling”?
Answer: Candy corn.
6. What percentage of American parents admit to sneaking goodies from their child’s Halloween candy haul?
Answer: About 90%.
7. What day of the year is the top candy-buying day?
Answer: October 28th, just before Halloween.
8. What is the most popular non-chocolate Halloween candy in the United States?
Answer: Skittles.
9. How many different colors of M&M’s are commonly distributed during Halloween?
Answer: Six standard colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and brown).
10. What spooky-themed shapes does Reese’s make their peanut butter cups into for Halloween?
Answer: Pumpkins, ghosts, and bats.
11. What unique flavor of candy corn is available during Halloween, besides the traditional version?
Answer: Pumpkin spice and caramel apple.
12. When did Hershey’s start producing wrapped chocolate specifically for Halloween?
Answer: In the early 1920s.
13. What is a common Halloween candy that is also used as a popular Christmas candy?
Answer: Peppermint bark.
14. What is the estimated number of trick-or-treaters who go out each Halloween in the United States?
Answer: Around 41 million.
15. Which state in the U.S. consumes the most candy per capita during Halloween?
Answer: Oregon.
16. How much money do Americans spend on Halloween candy each year?
Answer: Over $2 billion.
17. What type of candy was included in the first ever documented “trick or treat” in North America?
Answer: Jelly beans.
18. Which candy has a popular superstition involving breaking it in half to share a wish?
Answer: Kit Kat bars.
19. During Halloween, what is unique about how some companies package their candy bars?
Answer: They use glow-in-the-dark wrappers for popular brands like Kit Kat and Reese’s.
20. What economic effect did the COVID-19 pandemic have on Halloween candy sales in 2020?
Answer: Sales actually increased, as people sought comfort in holiday traditions.
Halloween Movie Trivia Questions and Answers
1. What 1978 horror film is considered the pioneer of the slasher genre and is set on Halloween night?
Answer: “Halloween” directed by John Carpenter.
2. Which movie features a character named Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King?
Answer: “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
3. What is the name of the haunted hotel in Stephen King’s “The Shining”?
Answer: The Overlook Hotel.
4. In the movie “Hocus Pocus,” what brings the Sanderson Sisters back to life?
Answer: Lighting the Black Flame Candle.
5. What is the name of the fictional town where the movie “Halloween” is set?
Answer: Haddonfield, Illinois.
6. Which film is known for the line, “Do you like scary movies?”
Answer: “Scream.”
7. In what movie does a group of kids face off against a shape-shifting monster that often appears as a clown?
Answer: “It,” based on Stephen King’s novel.
8. What classic horror film was originally titled “The Babysitter Murders” before its title was changed?
Answer: “Halloween.”
9. Which horror movie franchise features a killer wearing a ghost-face mask?
Answer: “Scream.”
10. In “Beetlejuice,” what is the name of the guidebook for the recently deceased?
Answer: “Handbook for the Recently Deceased.”
11. Which family-friendly Halloween movie involves two children discovering an abandoned haunted house with a friendly ghost?
Answer: “Casper.”
12. What item is used to summon Beetlejuice in the movie of the same name?
Answer: Saying the name “Beetlejuice” three times.
13. Which movie’s plot revolves around a cursed videotape that causes viewers to die within seven days after watching it?
Answer: “The Ring.”
14. What psychological thriller features a young boy who communicates with spirits and says, “I see dead people”?
Answer: “The Sixth Sense.”
15. Which movie features a serial killer possessing a doll and continuing his killing spree?
Answer: “Child’s Play.”
16. In which film does a cursed mask turn the protagonist into a cartoonish character?
Answer: “The Mask.”
17. What film involves a murderous entity terrorizing children in a small town in Maine every 27 years?
Answer: “It.”
18. Which 1990s teen witch film features a character named Sarah Bailey as the new girl at a Catholic prep high school?
Answer: “The Craft.”
19. What 1980s horror film series is set around a summer camp and features a killer named Jason Voorhees?
Answer: “Friday the 13th.”
20. Which horror movie features a possessed television set and the iconic line, “They’re here”?
Answer: “Poltergeist.”
Halloween Music Trivia Questions and Answers
1. What is the name of the song frequently associated with Halloween that starts with a spooky spoken word narrative by Vincent Price?
Answer: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson.
2. Which song by Bobby “Boris” Pickett has become a Halloween favorite due to its catchy tune and monster-themed lyrics?
Answer: “Monster Mash.”
3. Which famous composer created the chilling theme for the movie ‘Psycho’?
Answer: Bernard Herrmann.
4. What classic rock song features the lyrics “Season of the witch” and is often associated with Halloween?
Answer: “Season of the Witch” by Donovan.
5. Which 1962 novelty song is known for its macabre humor and danceable beat, often played during Halloween?
Answer: “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers.
6. Which Ray Parker Jr. song became famous after being featured in the movie ‘Ghostbusters’?
Answer: “Ghostbusters.”
7. What song by AC/DC is commonly played on Halloween, featuring lyrics about supernatural and eerie themes?
Answer: “Highway to Hell.”
8. Which song from the ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ is a staple at Halloween parties?
Answer: “Time Warp.”
9. What song by Blue Öyster Cult warns of a grim reaper, making it a Halloween playlist favorite?
Answer: “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.”
10. Which band released ‘This Is Halloween,’ a popular song from the movie ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’?
Answer: The song was performed by the characters of the movie and written by Danny Elfman.
11. Which Stevie Wonder song, featured in both the movie and the advertisements for ‘Hocus Pocus,’ has a Halloween vibe due to its superstitious themes?
Answer: “Superstition.”
12. Which Rob Zombie song, embracing horror movie aesthetics, is often played around Halloween?
Answer: “Dragula.”
13. What eerie instrumental piece by Mike Oldfield was famously used as the theme for ‘The Exorcist’?
Answer: “Tubular Bells.”
14. Which song by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is famed for its ghastly screams and haunting atmosphere, making it perfect for Halloween?
Answer: “I Put a Spell on You.”
15. What iconic song features in the opening credits of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts?
Answer: “This Is Halloween.”
16. Which Alice Cooper song is a celebration of fear, featuring lyrics about spiders and spirits?
Answer: “Welcome to My Nightmare.”
17. Which song by Warren Zevon about a hairy beast is a humorous addition to any Halloween playlist?
Answer: “Werewolves of London.”
18. What Talking Heads song, though not explicitly about Halloween, features a spooky music video and eerie vibes?
Answer: “Psycho Killer.”
19. Which song by Santana features a supernatural woman and is often played during Halloween for its mystical themes?
Answer: “Black Magic Woman.”
20. What song, performed by Sheb Wooley, introduces a bizarre space creature perfect for Halloween fun?
Answer: “The Purple People Eater.”
Halloween Literature Trivia Questions and Answers
1. Which Edgar Allan Poe poem features a talking raven and themes of melancholy and loss?
Answer: “The Raven.”
2. What is the name of the Stephen King novel about a haunted hotel?
Answer: “The Shining.”
3. Who wrote the novel ‘Frankenstein,’ which is often associated with Halloween themes of monsters and mad science?
Answer: Mary Shelley.
4. Which Washington Irving short story features a Halloween favorite character, the Headless Horseman?
Answer: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
5. What is the title of Bram Stoker’s novel that introduced the character Count Dracula?
Answer: “Dracula.”
6. Which Ray Bradbury novel is set during Halloween and follows a group of boys encountering Mr. Moundshroud?
Answer: “The Halloween Tree.”
7. Who is the author of ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes,’ a novel about a dark carnival that comes to town around Halloween?
Answer: Ray Bradbury.
8. What gothic novel by Shirley Jackson is considered a quintessential haunted house story and often read around Halloween?
Answer: “The Haunting of Hill House.”
9. In H.P. Lovecraft’s universe, what is the name of the fictional New England town where many of his stories are set, creating a spooky atmosphere?
Answer: Arkham.
10. Which Neil Gaiman book is about a young boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard?
Answer: “The Graveyard Book.”
11. What anthology series by Alvin Schwartz compiles various horror folklore and urban legends, popular during Halloween?
Answer: “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.”
12. Which classic novel features a creature created by Victor Frankenstein and explores themes of horror and the macabre?
Answer: “Frankenstein.”
13. Which R.L. Stine series is synonymous with horror for children and features various monsters and creepy scenarios?
Answer: “Goosebumps.”
14. What poem by Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of a man mourning his lost love, Lenore, and is often cited for its dark romanticism and horror elements?
Answer: “The Raven.”
15. Which novel by Anne Rice revitalized the vampire genre with its depiction of vampires as complex characters?
Answer: “Interview with the Vampire.”
16. What short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, often read during Halloween for its psychological horror, details a woman’s descent into madness?
Answer: “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
17. Which book by Stephen King involves a killer clown terrorizing children in a small town?
Answer: “It.”
18. What horror novel by Clive Barker introduces the concept of a puzzle box that opens a gateway to a realm of pain and suffering?
Answer: “Hellraiser.”
19. In which novel by Susan Hill does a vengeful ghost haunt a remote English village, also adapted into a famous stage play and film?
Answer: “The Woman in Black.”
20. Which book by Joe Hill, Stephen King’s son, involves a rock star discovering a suit that turns its wearer invisible, but at a terrifying cost?
Answer: “Heart-Shaped Box.”
Halloween Symbols Trivia Questions and Answers
1. What traditional Halloween decoration is an orange fruit commonly carved into a lantern?
Answer: Pumpkin.
2. What are the origins of the jack-o’-lantern tradition, and what was originally carved instead of pumpkins?
Answer: The tradition originated in Ireland, where people carved turnips and potatoes into lanterns to ward off evil spirits.
3. What animal is often associated with witches and considered a common Halloween symbol?
Answer: Black cat.
4. Why are black cats considered to be a symbol of bad luck in some cultures?
Answer: They were believed to be witches’ familiars and to possess supernatural powers.
5. What flying creature is often seen as a Halloween symbol due to its nocturnal nature and mythical connection to vampires?
Answer: Bat.
6. How did bats become associated with Halloween?
Answer: Their nocturnal habits and appearance in caves near early human settlements sparked myths and fears that linked them to the supernatural.
7. What is the significance of the color orange in Halloween decorations?
Answer: Orange represents the fall harvest.
8. And what does the color black represent in Halloween themes?
Answer: Black symbolizes death and darkness.
9. What skeletal figure is commonly used as a decoration during Halloween and symbolizes the return of spirits to the earth?
Answer: Skeleton or skull.
10. Why is the skeleton a prominent symbol during Halloween?
Answer: It represents the dead and the idea that spirits of the deceased walk the earth on Halloween night.
11. What vegetable is known to ward off evil spirits and is used in the traditional Irish dish, colcannon, served around Halloween?
Answer: Kale.
12. Which mythical creature associated with Halloween is said to transform from a human into a wolf during a full moon?
Answer: Werewolf.
13. What ghostly figure is said to roam the earth between heaven and hell, commonly depicted in Halloween lore?
Answer: Ghost.
14. From which culture does the concept of a ghostly figure wearing a white sheet originate?
Answer: This imagery likely stems from the Victorian era, when draped cloth was used to represent ghosts in plays and literature.
15. What spooky figure is often depicted with a large, toothy grin and is a popular costume choice for Halloween?
Answer: Skeleton.
16. What small, mythical creature is known for causing mischief and is commonly associated with Halloween in folklore?
Answer: Goblin.
17. Which Halloween symbol is often used in potions and witchcraft in movies and pop culture?
Answer: Cauldron.
18. What type of house is associated with ghosts and spooky occurrences, often featured in Halloween stories?
Answer: Haunted house.
19. Which Halloween symbol is a hollowed-out vegetable typically used to scare away spirits?
Answer: Jack-o’-lantern.
20. What symbolic action is performed with candles during Halloween to guide lost souls back to their resting places?
Answer: Lighting candles inside jack-o’-lanterns.
Hard Halloween Trivia Questions and Answers for Adults
1. What ancient Roman festival influenced the customs of modern Halloween, especially the incorporation of fruit and nuts into the celebrations?
Answer: The festival of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees.
2. Which Irish mythological character is said to have chased the devil into a tree and trapped him there, leading to the carving of jack-o’-lanterns?
Answer: Stingy Jack.
3. In what year did the United States witness its first citywide Halloween celebration?
Answer: Anoka, Minnesota, celebrated its first Halloween in 1920.
4. What Shakespeare play prominently features witches and is often associated with Halloween performances?
Answer: “Macbeth.”
5. What psychological term describes the fear of Halloween?
Answer: Samhainophobia.
6. During which century did the practice of trick-or-treating start resembling its current form in North America?
Answer: The practice began to take shape in the 1930s.
7. What vegetable was used by the Celts to ward off evil spirits before the introduction of the pumpkin by Irish immigrants to North America?
Answer: Large beets.
8. Which U.S. president officially declared October as National Country Music Month, which coincides with Halloween?
Answer: Richard Nixon, in 1972.
9. In the original Celtic tradition, what was the primary purpose of wearing masks and costumes during the festival of Samhain?
Answer: To disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.
10. What historical event in the 1940s caused a temporary ban on trick-or-treating in the United States due to sugar rationing?
Answer: World War II.
11. What famous magician died on Halloween in 1926?
Answer: Harry Houdini.
12. Which country holds a traditional ‘Night of the Witches’ (Noche de las Brujas) festival near Halloween?
Answer: Mexico.
13. What was the name of the first mass-produced Halloween costumes available in the United States?
Answer: Ben Cooper Inc. costumes, starting in the late 1930s.
14. Which U.S. state was the first to officially recognize Halloween as a holiday?
Answer: Massachusetts.
15. What ancient practice involved the lighting of bonfires during Samhain as part of the celebration?
Answer: The Celts lit bonfires to aid the sun’s return as winter approached.
16. Which Pope designated November 1st as All Saints Day, a move which in turn influenced Halloween’s date?
Answer: Pope Gregory III.
17. What is the origin of the name “witch,” and what does it mean?
Answer: The name comes from the Old English word “wicce,” which means “wise woman.”
18. What 18th-century Scottish poem is considered one of the first to mention trick-or-treating in its current form?
Answer: Robert Burns’ “Halloween.”
19. Which horror author wrote a story about Halloween night titled “October in the Chair”?
Answer: Neil Gaiman.
20. What unique environmental event in 2011 led to the cancellation of Halloween celebrations in several U.S. states?
Answer: A massive snowstorm in the Northeastern United States, known as the “2011 Halloween Nor’easter” or “Snowtober.”
Easy Halloween Trivia Questions and Answers for Kids
1. What fruit do people bob for at Halloween parties?
Answer: Apples.
2. What color are most witches’ hats?
Answer: Black.
3. What do you call a carved pumpkin with a light inside?
Answer: Jack-o’-lantern.
4. What do kids say when they knock on doors during Halloween?
Answer: Trick or treat!
5. What type of animal is often seen as a witch’s pet?
Answer: A cat, typically a black one.
6. What sweet treat is made from sugar and comes on a stick, often enjoyed during Halloween?
Answer: Candy apple.
7. Which friendly ghost is a popular character during Halloween?
Answer: Casper.
8. What do you call a costume that looks like a skeleton?
Answer: Skeleton costume.
9. What Halloween symbol is a small, mythical creature that likes to make trouble?
Answer: Goblin.
10. What do people often put on their doorstep to scare away spirits during Halloween?
Answer: A jack-o’-lantern.
11. What do you use to fly if you are dressed as a witch?
Answer: A broom.
12. On what date is Halloween celebrated?
Answer: October 31st.
13. What Halloween game involves children picking up objects with their mouths?
Answer: Bobbing for apples.
14. What do many children carry to collect candy when they go trick-or-treating?
Answer: A candy bag or bucket.
15. What is a common decoration that looks like a spider’s home?
Answer: Cobwebs.
16. What mythical creature turns into a bat and drinks blood?
Answer: Vampire.
17. What do you call the activity of going from house to house asking for candy?
Answer: Trick-or-treating.
18. What spooky holiday involves ghosts and goblins?
Answer: Halloween.
19. What do you call a laugh or cackle believed to be from a witch?
Answer: A cackle.
20. What orange vegetable is popular during Halloween and is used in pies?
Answer: Pumpkin.
