Halloween isn’t just about throwing on a plastic mask, carving a pumpkin for the front porch, and raiding the kids’ sweet stashes after dark.
Long before it became an excuse for themed parties and horror movie marathons, 31 October was rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people lit bonfires and wore disguises to ward off wandering spirits as the dark half of the year rolled in. Over the centuries, those pagan roots blended with medieval folklore, old superstitions, and classic cinema, giving us everything from bobbing for apples and midnight ghost stories to blood-curdling gothic monsters and modern Hollywood slashers.
Whether you’re a proper horror film buff, fascinated by folklore, or just love a bit of spooky history when the nights draw in, this quiz will test what you actually know about the world’s most haunting holiday. Grab a brew, turn the lights down low, and see if you can make it to the end without getting spooked.
1. What ancient Celtic festival is considered a precursor to Halloween?
A. Beltane
B. Imbolc
C. Samhain
D. Lughnasadh
2. What does the word “Halloween” mean?
A. All Hallows’ Eve
B. Festival of the Dead
C. Harvest Evening
D. Night of Spirits
3. Which vegetable was traditionally carved into jack-o’-lanterns before pumpkins became popular?
A. Potatoes
B. Beetroot
C. Swedes
D. Turnips
4. Which two colours are traditionally associated with Halloween?
A. Purple and green
B. Black and orange
C. Red and black
D. Orange and white
5. What medieval English tradition helped inspire modern trick-or-treating?
A. Souling
B. Wassailing
C. Mumming
D. Maying
6. What did people traditionally collect from door to door while “souling”?
A. Candles
B. Apples
C. Coins
D. Soul cakes
7. What was bobbing for apples originally used for?
A. Celebrating the harvest
B. Predicting future marriage
C. Choosing a village leader
D. Remembering the dead
8. What traditional Irish Halloween bread can contain hidden trinkets?
A. Soda bread
B. Boxty
C. Barmbrack
D. Blaa
9. What was candy corn originally called?
A. Chicken Feed
B. Harvest Corn
C. Corn Drops
D. Farm Sweets
10. Which film features the line “Do you like scary movies?”
A. Halloween
B. The Exorcist
C. A Nightmare on Elm Street
D. Scream
11. What was used to create Michael Myers’ mask in the original 1978 Halloween?
A. A mould of a mannequin
B. A William Shatner mask
C. A theatre mask
D. A hockey mask
12. What brings the Sanderson sisters back from the dead in Hocus Pocus?
A. The Book of Shadows
B. The Witch’s Moon
C. The Black Flame Candle
D. The Salem Candle
13. How many times must you say “Beetlejuice” to summon him?
A. Three
B. Two
C. Five
D. Seven
14. Where do the Ghostbusters encounter their first ghost in the 1984 film?
A. Central Park
B. The Empire State Building
C. A Manhattan hotel
D. The New York Public Library
15. What is the name of the summer camp in Friday the 13th?
A. Camp Blackwood
B. Camp Crystal Lake
C. Camp Silver Pine
D. Camp Shadow Creek
16. Who wrote Frankenstein?
A. Bram Stoker
B. Edgar Allan Poe
C. Shirley Jackson
D. Mary Shelley
17. What was the first Stephen King novel adapted into a feature film?
A. The Shining
B. It
C. Carrie
D. Misery
18. What is a lycanthrope?
A. A werewolf
B. A vampire
C. A ghost
D. A witch
19. What is the only mammal capable of true flight?
A. Flying squirrel
B. Sugar glider
C. Colugo
D. Bat
20. What is a pumpkin botanically classified as?
A. A vegetable
B. A fruit
C. A root
D. A seed
Answers
1. C. Samhain
2. A. All Hallows’ Eve
3. D. Turnips
4. B. Black and orange
5. A. Souling
6. D. Soul cakes
7. B. Predicting future marriage
8. C. Barmbrack
9. A. Chicken Feed
10. D. Scream
11. B. A William Shatner mask
12. C. The Black Flame Candle
13. A. Three
14. D. The New York Public Library
15. B. Camp Crystal Lake
16. D. Mary Shelley
17. C. Carrie
18. A. A werewolf
19. D. Bat
20. B. A fruit
How many did you get right? Tell us your score in the comments.
