50 Hallowe’en Trivia Quiz Questions With Answers – Holidappy
Adele Cosgrove-Bray is a writer, poet and artist who lives on the Wirral Peninsula in England.
Free Quiz for All Hallowe’en Parties!
Fun and educational, this Hallowe’en quiz offers fifty questions (with answers) about one of Britain’s most popular traditional festivals. From the easy to the tough, this range of puzzling questions should challenge even the most knowledgeable of Hallowe’en experts. It’s great for seasonal parties!
Feel free to copy this lively quiz for your personal, non-commercial use. However, anyone copying this article for profit of any kind or online (though linking to here will be okay) will face the wrath of The Wild Hunt. You have been warned.
Halloween or Hallowe’en?
“Hallowe’en” is the correct spelling of “Halloween”, being a contraction of “All Hallow’s Eve”.
Trivia Questions
1. On which date does Hallowe’en fall? October 31st
2. What is the word Hallowe’en an abbreviation of? All Hallow’s Eve
3. What is a group of witches called? A coven
4. What would you traditionally bob for at Hallowe’en parties? Apples
5. Where did bobbing for apples originate? Ancient Rome
6 What is the traditional name for a pumpkin with a face carved into it, when it is illuminated from within by a candle? Jack O’ Lantern
7. What were Jack O’Lanterns carved from before pumpkins were used? Turnips
8. Which song was a 1973 hit for Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers? (Lyric clue: It was a graveyard smash.) “Monster Mash”
9. Where do real vampire bats live? North and South America
10. List the signs that someone’s a werewolf. Their eyebrows meet in the middle; they have hairy palms and/or a long middle finger; they turn hairy in the moonlight.
Image by skeeze from Pixabay
11. Who wrote the novel “Dracula”? Bram Stoker
12. Count Dracula is based on a real person from history—what was his name? Vlad Dracula, a prince also nicknamed Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler
13. Name the country over which Vlad Dracula once ruled, which still considers him a national hero. Romania
14. Some people claim to be real vampires: true or false? True
15. Hallowe’en was first celebrated by who? Druids
16. When were Hallowe’en greetings cards first made—1600s, 1700s, 1800s or 1900s? 1900s
17. Who wrote the novel “Frankenstein”? Mary Shelley
18. What was Dr. Frankenstein’s first name? Victor
19. Why did the tradition of fancy dress for Hallowe’en begin? So that when evil spirits see you, they’ll think you’re one of them and leave you alone.
20. The Celts believed that the lord of the dead travelled the earth on Hallowe’en. What was his name? Samana or Herne the Hunter
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
21. What is the traditional name for Herne the Hunter’s shrieking band of witches, goblins and ghosts who ride through the skies on Hallowe’en? The Wild Hunt
22. What does the old English word “Hallow” mean? Saint
23. By what name is midnight also known? The witching hour
24. Who wrote the novel called “The Witching Hour”? Anne Rice
25. Name Anne Rice’s famous blond, French vampire. Lestat de Lioncourt
26. Lambs Wool was once a popular Hallowe’en drink made of milk and crushed, roasted . . . what? Apples
27. What do pumpkins grow on—stalks, trees, vines or bushes? Vines
28. What is the title of a witch’s pet cat or toad? A familiar
29. Shakespeare’s three witches from Macbeth were also known as . . . what? The Weird Sisters
30. Name the first ingredients which Shakespeare’s witches added to their bubbling cauldron.
Answer:
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Image by jugendweihebb from Pixabay
31. As well as a cauldron, what other magical tools might a witch use? Wand, broomstick, spell book, herbs, doll with pins in
32. What is the other, traditional name for a broomstick? A besom
33. Where were witches believed to fly to on their broomsticks, on Hallowe’en? The Grand Sabbat
34. Ghoulies and ghosties and . . . what . . . go bump in the night? Long-legged beasties
35. According to the contemporary witchcraft religion of Wicca, is a male witch known as a wizard, a sorcerer, a witch or a spell-caster? A witch
36. Name the famous ghost of Great Windsor Park, who’s most often seen riding through the grounds on Hallowe‘en? Herne the Hunter
37. Which country celebrates The Day of the Dead instead of Hallowe’en, which includes the tradition of passing a live person in a coffin through streets? Mexico
38. Which magical characters must be appeased with offerings of biscuits and a saucer of milk? House elves
39. Is a banshee likely to sing, hum, scream or whistle? Scream
40. What is the traditional Scottish name for Hallowe’en, which derives from the name of Celtic god Samana? Samhain
Image by ArtTower from Pixabay
41. Why is it dangerous to step into a fairy ring formed of mushrooms? The fairies might steal you away.
42. If you’re ever invited inside a fairy mound, what must you never do? Eat or drink
43. Who chased Ichabod Crane through Sleepy Hollow? The headless horseman, the ghost of a Hessian soldier from the American Revolution
44. Christmas is Britain’s most commercially-successful festival. What is the second? Hallowe’en
45. What walks abroad on Hallowe’en? Witches, ghosts, goblins, demons, vampires, the ancestors, the dead (and similar)
46. To protect yourself from evil on Hallowe’en, what common kitchen ingredient would you carry in your pocket? Salt
47. What is the day after Hallowe’en called? All Souls Day
48. Name the cakes traditionally baked on All Souls Day. Soul cakes
49. Name another traditional Hallowe’en food. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup or candied apples
50. Which are the two colours most often associated with Hallowe’en today? Black and orange
Questions & Answers
Question: What should all Halloween lovers say when knocking on the door?
Answer: The call of “Trick or treat” is a fairly modern tradition, originating in America. Other countries have their own traditions, and knocking on doors isn’t part of those, necessarily.
© 2010 Adele Cosgrove-Bray
Adele Cosgrove-Bray (author) from Wirral, Cheshire, England. on May 22, 2021:
I’ve a whole series of quizzes available; simply click on my name in order to view my profile page where they’re all listed, if you scroll down that page.
Jennifer Hamilton on May 21, 2021:
Have you got a quizz for children from reception to 11 years old? Please
Jeremy from Grand Blanc, MI on October 17, 2021:
Judith, that’s not accurate. The act of trick-or-treating has its roots in the tradition of “mumming” – before Halloween was Halloween. Halloween is technically a Christian variation of the more traditional Pagan holiday of Samhain.
Judith.A.Mcgregor on October 16, 2021:
Trick and treat is an Americanism, traditionally you would knock the door and simply say happy hallow’een and then be invited in or not, if not you walk away
Adele Cosgrove-Bray (author) from Wirral, Cheshire, England. on October 20, 2021:
You’re most welcome! I hope your party goes well.
Omgoy on October 17, 2021:
Thank you so much you saved my halloween party
sml on October 12, 2021:
what is the another term for midnight?
Jonnyboy on November 01, 2021:
Day after Holloween is All Saints Day, not All Souls.
Jeremy from Grand Blanc, MI on November 03, 2013:
Not trying to troll here, I promise. If it comes off as though I am, I apologize, but you are partially incorrect. Those are questions as they relate to Wicca, specifically (or at the very least, a single expansion of neo-paganism).
Samana isn’t a traditional deity, but rather a neopagan and modern Christian and Secular misinterpretation of the holiday. Samhain was not titled after a deity of any kind. It roughly translates into “Summer’s End”. With that said, however, there is a theory that Samana (aka Samain and other spellings) was a hero of the time and that he, in fact, was named after the holiday rather than the other way around. Myself, I don’t follow that train of thought. But that’s a matter of tradition, I believe.
All Souls Day was a manipulation of the holiday by the Catholic Church in the 8th century.
Soul Cakes were an adaptation to the traditional mumming. On All Soul’s Day (which is another name for All Saints Day), people would go from door to door and offer to pray for the owners’ loved ones in return for a soul cake. Whereas mumming was a Samhain tradition where people (usually the poor) would perform (sing, dance, small plays, etc.) for food from the last harvest.
Again, since text makes it difficult to portray emotional intent, I am not trying to start an argument with anyone or tear apart your original post. I support it, in fact. Just trying to make sure the history therein is accurate.
Best Regards.
Adele Cosgrove-Bray (author) from Wirral, Cheshire, England. on November 03, 2013:
Questions 2, 20, 21, 22, 26, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 47, 48 and 49 all refer to traditional British Hallowe’en customs and issues.
Jeremy from Grand Blanc, MI on October 31, 2013:
I was actually hoping to see something a bit more traditional in nature touching on more Samhain references and less… commercially mythical.
angrove on October 30, 2012:
number 47 is incorrect. the day after halloween in all saints day, all souls day is the 2nd november according to wikipedia
Adele Cosgrove-Bray (author) from Wirral, Cheshire, England. on November 12, 2010:
What may seem trivial to some is, however, a deeply sacred festival to others.
Thanks for dropping by, SJerZGirl.
SJerZGirl on November 10, 2010:
Neat list of trivia!
Adele Cosgrove-Bray (author) from Wirral, Cheshire, England. on October 13, 2010:
Thanks for spotting that, Brigid; I’ve corrected #43 now.
Brigid on October 13, 2010:
#43 is incorrect. Ichabod Crane was chased by the headless horseman, he’s not the headless horseman. The headless horseman was a Hessian solider in the American Revolution.
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