Mental Floss

HALLOWEEN

Bullet_Chained (monsters), AJWAD CREATIVE (SPEECH BUBBLE) // ISTOCK VIA GETTY IMAGES PLUS

On Halloween, witches and werewolves, ghosts and ghouls, and demons and devils stalk the streets for tricks or treats. But the real tricks and treats—at least for the horror-loving word nerds among us—might just be the strange and far-flung origins of the

Louisville Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

These parades and jack-o'-lantern festivals are a notch above your neighborhood party.

Pumpkingutter via Facebook

Pumpkins can be works of art.

Stephanie Pokorny

The entire project took Stephanie Pokorny four days, and she didn’t use a pattern.

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Hogwarts letter got lost in the mail? Don't worry: You can still experience Halloween the Harry Potter way by visiting one of these events.

Michael Parkinson, Mike Smith, and Sarah Greene in Ghostwatch (1992).

'Ghostwatch,' a 1992 broadcast of a supposedly haunted house, led to documented cases of PTSD in young viewers.

Promise Tamang via YouTube

Let's face it: Your costume isn't complete without a little makeup magic.

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Creepy clowns scare the hell out of real clowns, too.

YouTube

Scaring today's trick-or-treaters requires a bit of tech savvy.

NYPL Gallery

Photographer Larry Racioppo captured a variety of children's costumes as they roamed the streets in the mid-'70s. The results are a bit creepy, but ultimately endearing.

NYPL Gallery

Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Rachel True, and Neve Campbell in The Craft (1996).

In 1996, 'The Craft'—a movie about a group of teenage witches starring Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True—hit theaters and completely changed the subgenre.

Jeffrey Strean, Cleveland Museum of Art

Ghosts congregate in these museums for reasons mere mortals can only guess.

Public Domain

According to a 19th century book, ghosts are optical illusions—and you can see a "spirit" in your very own living room by following these instructions.

There's more to witches than pointy hats and broomsticks.

The practice of witchcraft is deeply rooted in history, and has—excuse the joke—conjured up some very interesting myths.

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Why wear one costume when you can wear two?

"The Witch Trial" by William Powell Frith. Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Nearly three centuries after her death, Maria Bertoletti Toldini may get a second chance for justice.

Pumpkins carved with the faces of Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.

Forget two triangles and a toothy grin; this Halloween, take your jack o'lanterns to the next level.

Halloween Express

See what the most popular Halloween costume is in your area.

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The library’s extensive Witchcraft Collection is open to the public and available online.

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We interviewed professionals working at haunted houses to find out more about how these places work and why we love them like we do.

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These invaders of the wee hour weekend airwaves guided young viewers through cinematic fare from 'Dracula' to 'Robot Monster.'

Neil Conway via Wikimedia Commons // CC-BY-SA 2.0

But don't give up on them just yet.

getty images

Halloweens of yesteryear were filled with treats, but many more tricks—or at least that's how it seems from contemporary newspaper clippings.