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Questions tagged [halloween]

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18 votes
6 answers
26k views

Is there a season's greeting for Halloween?

There is "Season's greetings" or "Merry Christmas" for Christmas. But is there something for Halloween? "Happy Halloween" just does not sound right to me because of the contrast between "happy" and ...
Stephen's user avatar
  • 443
10 votes
3 answers
16k views

Why do people say "Happy" Halloween?

Shouldn't it be "horror filled halloween" or "spooky halloween"? It fits the purpose of the day. Why "happy"? By the way "Happy Halloween everybody!"
think_meaning_buildß's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
435 views

First use of "jack-o'-Lantern” in reference to the Carved-Pumpkin?

According to OED the etymology of "Jack'o'-Lantern" (as a name for the carved pumpkin) dates to 1834: Jack-o'-lantern: also jack-o-lantern, jack-a-lantern, jackolantern, 1660s, "night-...
Tom O' Bedlam's user avatar
4 votes
9 answers
3k views

Hallowe'en and shell out

Growing up in Canada, in addition to "trick-or-treating" as a description of kids' activities on Hallowe'en evening, I often heard the verb "shell out", conjugated as "shelling out" or "shellouting". ...
magicker72's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Origin of "Trick or Treat"

In North America, trick or treating is a Halloween custom, in which children go door-to-door to say "trick or treat" as a way of asking for treats. I'm wondering if there are any common or at least ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 2,253
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

North American joke: “What do you call Halloween boner?'”

I searched everywhere to find out what this joke means: "What do you call a Halloween boner?" "Petrified wood!" Wood is probably slang for boner. Maybe erectile dysfunction, but I still don't ...
Brad's user avatar
  • 17