• The total U.S. pumpkin production in 2000 was 894.9 million pounds, almost half of which came from Illinois. The total value of these pumpkins was $101.6 million.

• Some so-called vampire bats do drink blood, but they’re not from Transylvania. They live in Central and South America and feed on cattle, horses and birds.

• The biggest pumpkin in the world weighed in at 1,262 pounds.

• Halloween isn’t just for kids. While 82 percent of children take part in the Halloween celebration, 67 percent of adults also join in on the fun.

• With an estimated $1.93 billion in candy sales, Halloween is the “sweetest” holiday of the year, beating Easter, Valentine’s Day and Christmas. In fact, one quarter of all the candy sold during the year is purchased between Sept. 15 and Nov. 10.

• U.S. consumers spend $1.5 billion on costumes each year, and more than $2.5 billion on other Halloween paraphernalia, such as decorations and crafts.

• According to superstition, you will see your future spouse over your left shoulder in the mirror at midnight on Halloween.

• The Irish originally used turnips to make their jack-o-lanterns. When the immigrants came to America, they found pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips.

• The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was 350 pounds and five feet in diameter.

• Ancient folklore says that if a candle flame suddenly turns blue, there’s a ghost nearby.

• Nine percent of Americans report having been in the presence of a ghost.

• Phasmophobia is the fear of ghosts.

• The legend of Count Dracula was based on the life of a real person. The Warrior Prince Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476) was well known for his cruelty. He was called Dracula (son of the devil), and his father was known as Vlad Dracul (Vlad the Devil).

• Months that start with a Sunday always have a Friday the 13th.

• Ancient folklore says that if a cat jumps over the coffin at a burial, the deceased will become a vampire.

• Some people believe that if you ring a bell on Halloween, it will scare the spirits away.

• In Northern Britain, the words “ghost” and “guest” are the same word.

• Of the 4,000 species of mammals on the planet, there are 900 different species of bats.

• Information compiled by Danielle Ritchie from The History Channel and The National Census Bureau