Top Ten Halloween Myths: True or False?

ULTIMATE COupons. Tup TEN WALOWEEN VYTES: WYTWS: TRUE OR FALSE? 1. MANY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN INJURED BY RAZOR BLADES OR NEEDLES HIDDEN WITHIN CANDY. A STUDY WAS RELEASED THAT STATED A CHILD HAS A BETTER CHANCE AT BEING HIT BY A CAR THAN FINDING A RAZOR BLADE WITHIN HALLOWEEN CANDY. MOST, IF NOT ALL. REPORTED CASES ARE HOAXES CREATED BY THE CHILD. LESS THAN 80 CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED SINCE 1959 AND ONLY 10 OF THOSE RESULTED IN A MINOR INJURY. THE WORST CASE INVOLVED 2 STITCHES TO A WOMAN'S MOUTH. HOWEVER IN 2000, A 49-YEAR-OLD MINNEAPOLIS MAN WAS CHARGED WITH INTENT TO CAUSE DEATH, HARM OR ILLNESS BY PLACING NEEDLES INTO SNICKERS BARS AND HANDING THEM OUT TO CHILDREN ON HALLOWEEN. ONE 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS PRICKED BY A NEEDLE HIDDEN WITHIN ONE OF THE BARS, BUT NO CHILD REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: IT'S HAPPENDED BEFORE, BUT CAUSES LESS THAN ONE INJURY EVERY FIVE YEARS ON AVERAGE. 2. CULT GROUPS HUNT FOR BLACK CATS TO SACRIFICE ON HALLOWEEN. WHILE IT'S WIDELY BELIEVED THAT BLACK CATS WERE USED IN RITUAL SACRIFICES DURING MEDIEVAL TIMES, THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO STATISTICS TO BACK UP THIS ANNUAL FEAR OF RITUALIZED FELINE SACRIFICE. THE ASPCA HAS REPORTED NO INCREASE IN BLACK CAT MUTILATIONS. RESCUES OR ADOPTIONS ON HALLOWEEN. HOWEVER, MANY ANIMAL SHELTERS HALT ALL BLACK CAT ADOPTIONS AROUND HALLOWEEN OUT OF A MISPLACED FEAR FOR THIS MYTH. WHILE THE OPERATORS OF THESE SHELTERS ADMIT TO HAVING LITTLE TO NO FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE WITH ANIMAL SACRIFICES DURING HALLOWEEN. THEY OFTEN TRADE RUMORS OF BLACK CATS BEING SKINNED AND DECAPITATED TO MARK THE HOLIDAY. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! 3. HANGING VICTIMS AT HALLOWEEN ATTRACTIONS ARE ACTUALLY DEAD. THE MYTH ORIGINATED IN 1990 WHEN A TEENAGER IN CHICAGO PRETENDED TO HANG FROM THE GALLOWS FOR A SCARY HALLOWEEN HAYRIDE AND ACTUALLY HUNG HIMSELF. HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE HAYRIDE DRIVER NOTICED THE BOY DIDN'T SPEAK WHILE PASSING THE GALLOWS. AN ACCIDENTAL HANGING OCCURED IN THE SAME MONTH IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA WHEN A BOY HUNG HIMSELF DURING A HALLOWEEN PARTY. THIS OCCURED AGAIN DURING 2001 WHEN A TEENAGER IN MICHIGAN ATTEMPTED THE SAME GALLOWS TRICK DURING ANOTHER HAUNTED HAYRIDE. THIS MYTH WAS COMPOUNDED IN LATE OCTOBER 2005 WHEN A 42-YEAR-OLD DELAWARE WOMAN COMMITTED SUICIDE BY HANGING HERSELF FROM A TREE IN HER FRONT LAWN. PASSING MOTORISTS COULD SEE THE WOMAN HANGING 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND ASSUMED THE BODY WAS A HALLOWEEN DECORATION. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: SOMETIMES TRUE! 4. CHILD MOLESTERS ATTACK IN DROVES ON HALLOWEN. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SINGLE CASE OF ANY CHILD BEING MOLESTED BY A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER WHILE TRICK-OR-TREATING. IN A RECENT STUDY OF 67,000 SEX OFFENSES OVERA 9-YEAR PERIOD, CHILDREN WERE NOT FOUND TO BE AT ANY GREATER RISK FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON HALLOWEEN. THIS IS LIKELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE VASTLY INCREASED AMOUNT OF PARENTS THAT ARE ROAMING THE STREETS WITH CHILDREN AS WELL AS KIDS STICKING TOGETHER IN GROUPS TO GATHER CANDY. IN ADDITION, THE MAJORITY OF STATES HAVE LAWS THAT FORBID CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS FROM OPENING THE DOOR FOR TRICK-OR-TREATERS ON HALLOWEEN, PLUS THEY MUST POST NO-CANDY SIGNS AND PAY ATTENTION TO STRICT CURFEWS IN PLACE THAT DAY. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! 5. VAMPIRES EXIST AND HUNT VICTIMS ACTIVELY ON HALLOWEEN. ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA PHYSICIST COSTAS EFTHIMIOU, SIMPLE LOGIC DICTATES THAT VAMPIRES CAN'T EXIST. ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDS, IF A VAMPIRE DRINKS BLOOD FROM A VICTIM, THAT PERSON ALSO BECOMES A VAMPIRE. ASSUMING THAT VAMPIRES EXISTED IN THE YEAR 1600, CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE HUMAN POPULATION WAS AROUND HALF A MILLION ON JANUARY 1600. IF A VAMPIRE BIT ONE PERSON A MONTH WHO TURNED INTO A VAMPIRE IN 1600, THE ENTIRE HUMAN POPULATION WOULD HAVE BECOME BLOOD-THIRSTY CREATURES IN JUST 2.5 YEARS. IT'S ALSO IMPOSSIBLE FOR HUMANS TO SURVIVE ON BLOOD ALONE AS THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH NUTRIENTS IN BLOOD TO SUSTAIN ANIMALS MUCH LARGER THAN A TICK OR A FLEA FOR LONGER THAN A FEW DAYS. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! 6. GANG INITIATIONS OCCUR ON HALLOWEEN AND TARGET WOMEN. ORIGINATING IN 2008. THIS MYTH IS ATTRIBUTED TO A VIRAL CHAIN EMAIL. ACORDING TO THE ORIGINAL EMAIL, FLEDGLING GANG MEMBERS GOING THROUGH INITIATION WERE GOING TO MURDER BETWEEN 30 TO 34 WOMEN ON HALLOWEEN. WHILE POLICE ATTEMPTED TO ASSURE PEOPLE THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THESE FEARS, THE EMAIL CHAIN CONTINUED TO GROW. POLICE ARRESTED A 19-YEAR-OLD NEW JERSEY MAN IN DECEMBER 2008 FOR STARTING THE EMAIL AND SPREADING THE FALSE RUMORS. HE WAS CHARGED WITH CAUSING FALSE PUBLIC ALARM. IN 2009. THE FALSE RUMOR GREW AGAIN ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS LIKE FACEBOOK AND THE DEATH TOLL INCREASED TO 140 WOMEN. HOWEVER, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT HALLOWEEN REPRESENTS ANY SPECIAL OCCASION FOR GANG INITATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! 7. PUMPKINS ARE THE HISTORICAL SYMBOL OF HALLOWEEN. ACCORDING TO THE DRUIDS, THE TURNIP WAS THE ORIGINAL SYMBOLIC FOOD OF HALLOWEEN. THE PUMPKIN IS A NEW WORLD PLANT THAT DIDN'T EVEN GROW IN EUROPE. THE BIRTHPLACE OF HALLOWEEN. HOWEVER. THE TURNIP WAS CARVED AND DECORATED MUCH LIKE TODAY'S PUMPKIN, BUT TO REPRESENT THE SPIRIT THEY DEPENDED UPON FOR THEIR POWER AND KNOWLEDGE. THE TURNIP WAS LIGHT BY A CANDLE FROM WITHIN AND USED AS A LANTERN AS DRUIDS WENT FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE AT NIGHT. IT WAS BELIEVED BY THE DRUIDS THAT THEIR FAMILIAR SPIRIT WOULD INHABIT THESE TURNIPS AND ASSIST THEM IN CARRYING OUT SPELLS SPOKEN ABOUT THE HOMES AND LIVES OF FELLOW DRUIDS. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE, BUT I WISH ITr WAS TRUE. STUPID TURNIPS! 8. MANY STRANGERS HAVE POISONED CHILDREN'S CANDY OVER THE YE ARS. THE MYTH ORIGINATED IN 1964 WHEN A LONG ISLAND. NEW YORK HOUSEWIFE GAVE OUT OBJECTS THAT WEREN'T MEANT TO BE EATEN TO KIDS TOO OLD TO BE TRICK-OR-TREATING. THESE OBJECTS INCLUDED DOG BISCUITS, STEEL WOOL, AND ANT POISON. ALSO IN 1964. REPORTS OF LYE-FILLED BUBBLE GUM WERE BEING HANDED OUT IN DETROIT AS WELL AS RAT POISON IN PHILADELPHIA. THE MYTH GAINED STEAM IN 1974 WHEN 8-YEAR-OLD TIMOTHY 0'BRYAN DIED AFTER EATING A CYANIDE-LACED PIXIE STIX. A POLICE INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT HIS FATHER, RONALD CLARK O'BRYAN. GAVE HIS SON THE POSION CANDY AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER CHILDREN ON HALLOWEEN IN AN ATTEMPT TO COVER UP THE MURDER. HIS MOTIVE WAS GAINING LIFE INSURANCE MONEY FROM TIMOTHY'S DEATH AND HE WAS EXECUTED FOR THE CRIME IN 1984. BY 1985, THE HYSTERICAL MEDIA HAD DRIVEN FEAR ABOUT CANDY POISIONINGS TO SUCH A POINT THAT AN ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST POLL THAT FOUND 60% OF PARENTS FEARED THAT THEIR CHILDREN WOULD BE INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF HALLOWEEN CANDY SABOTAGE. HOWEVER. ANY INCIDENTS OF POISONING HAVE BEEN VERY ISOLATED. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: EXTREMELY RARE CASES, BUT NEARLY ENTIRELY FAKE. 9. HALLOWEEN IS THE SECOND BUSIEST RETAIL HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR. HALLOWEEN IS ACTUALLY THE SIXTH BUSIEST HOLIDAY FOR RETAIL FALLING BEHIND CHRISTMAS. MOTHER'S DAY, FATHER'S DAY, EASTER AND VALENTINE'S DAY. RETAIL SEES A BOOST IN OCTOBER MOSTLY DUE TO LATE BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING AS WELL AS CLOTHES SHOPPING FOR NEW WINTER OUTFITS TO KEEP WARM. HOWEVER, MORE MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON HALLOWEEN THIS YEAR COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE NRF'S 2011 HALLOWEEN CONSUMER INTENTIONS AND ACTIONS SURVEY. 7 OUT OF 10 CONSUMERS ARE PLANNING TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN THIS YEAR AND THEY WILL END UP SPENDING APPROXIMATELY SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS ON THE HOLIDAY. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! 10 HALLOWEEN IS THE DEVIL'S HOLIDAY. THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN IS ACTUALLY ROOTED IN DRUID AND CELTIC RITUAL, AND THESE RELIGIONS DO NOT BELIEVE IN "SATAN," AT LEAST NOT IN THE INCARNATION THAT CHRISTIANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH. THE CELTS CELEBRATED A FESTIVAL CALLED SAMHAIN, THEIR YEAR END AND HARVEST CELEBRATION. AS THEY BELIEVED, BOTH BAD AND GOOD SPIRITS OF THE DEAD RETURNED TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING DURING SAMHAIN. TO PREVENT THE MISCHIEF THAT ANY BAD SPIRITS CAUSED. A NUMBER OF RITUALS WERE PERFORMED TO SCARE THEM OFF ON HALLOWEEN LIKE DRESSING IN COSTUME. LIGHTING BONFIRES AND CARVING SCARY FACES IN TURNIPS. SCHOLARS ATTRIBUTE THIS MYTH TO CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS WHO BELIEVE THAT HALLOWEEN'S DARK IMAGERY AND ASSOCIATION WITH DEATH MAKE IT A PRODUCT OF EVIL RATHER THAN GOOD. HOWEVER, THE DRUID AND CELTIC RITUALS UPON WHICH HALLOWEN IS BASED WERE CELEBRATIONS DEDICATED TO MUCH MORE POSITIVE IDEAS LIKE THE HARVEST AND THE GENEROSITY OF THE GODS. THE GREAT PUMPKIN'S VERDICT: FALSE! DESIGN G ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAAIM GOODWIN SOURCES: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/hanging.asp http://www.toponlinecolleges.com/blog/2010/13-halloween-myths-debunked/ http://www.livescience.com/5148-top-5-halloween-myths-debunked.html http://www.horrorbid.com/blog/blog1.php/2010/10/22/top-5-halloween-myths-busted http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoned_candy_scare http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/needles.asp http://overcomers.ca/The_Evil_Of_Halloween.html http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/11/8269868-more-money-to-be-spent -on-halloween-this-year-despite-frightful-economy