Spooks and spirits, ghosts and goblins, witches and the weird...it's Halloween...one of the most widely celebrated holidays of the year. But why do we trick-or-treat, carve pumpkins and dress up in costumes? What are the legends and lore behind some of our most treasured Halloween traditions? Find out all about this spooky holiday: * The ancient Celts wore masks and costumes on Halloween night to avoid being recognized as human because they thought spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside * In an attempt to prevent spirits of the dead from leaving their final resting place, gravestones were once placed on top of deeply dug graves * Wiccaphobia is the fear of witches * Several distilleries around the world produce alcoholic beverages with a grim twist; an English firm produces Vampyre Vodka that is blood red in color * According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest gathering of ''zombies'' occurred in Ledbury, Hertfordshire, on August 6, 2009, with 4026 participants. * And so much more...

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TONYA LAMBERT is a writer, editor, historian and actress and has been a bookseller, book reviewer, indexer, coach and teacher. She grew up in the small town of Kelvington, Saskatchewan, before moving to Edmonton with her three daughters. She earned a BA Honors Degree in History with High Honors and an MA in History from the University of Saskatchewan. Halloween has long been her favorite holiday.