Masks of Obama, McCain and Palin were popular in 2008.

1st Century: The Celts believe that on New Year's Eve (October 31), the dead can mingle with the living. Kids start dressing like spirits to scare the pants off neighbors.

8th Century: The pope co-opts the Celts' pagan festival by naming November 1 All Saints' Day. But the night before remains shrouded in the spooky and weird.

Mid-1800s: The Irish, escaping the potato famine, spread their holiday across the United States.

1938: Orson Welles performs The War of the Worlds as a newscast. Best Halloween prank ever.

1978: The first Halloween flick introduces babysitter-killer Michael Meyers.

2007: The world's largest jack-o'-lantern is carved from a 1,689-pound gourd.

2007: Obama masks outpace McCain's mug 55 to 45 percent at BuyCostumes.com. But Palin outsells Biden three to one.


Next: 3 things you should know before you buy a Halloween costume