FUN FACTS FOR HALLOWEEN: Thanks to factretriever.com, we have a few fun and one or two spooky facts to share with you in honor of the upcoming holiday.

— The mask used for Michael Myers in Halloween was the cheapest one that moviemakers could find — and it was actually a William Shatner Star Trek mask. Shatner, who found out years later it was in his likeness, said he was honored.

— The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.

— Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.

— The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, meaning “wise woman.” In fact, wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.

— The owl is a popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl’s call meant someone was about to die.[17]

— According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.

— Stephen Clarke holds the record for the world’s fastest pumpkin carving time: 24.03 seconds, smashing his previous record of 54.72 seconds. The rules of the competition state that the pumpkin must weigh less than 24 pounds and be carved in a traditional way, which requires at least eyes, nose, ears, and a mouth.