October 31

halloween · calendar · holidays · autumn

The scariest night. October 31 is Halloween, a holiday celebrated mainly in North America where people dress up in costumes, carve pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, and go trick-or-treating for candy.

Calendar number 304. October 31 is the 304th day of the Gregorian calendar year, with exactly 61 days remaining until December 31st.

Autumn's final days. October 31 falls near the end of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, when leaves are changing colors and the air turns crisp and cool.

History of spooks. Halloween traditions on October 31 come from ancient Celtic festivals where people believed ghosts and spirits roamed the earth, and they wore costumes to stay safe.

Samhain roots. The holiday's origins trace back to Samhain, an ancient festival marking the end of summer in Celtic cultures, celebrated around this same time.