Witches riding broomsticks and black cats are just some of the images of Halloween, which has its modern origin in an ancient Celtic fire festival.

The festival called “Samhain” was the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times and marked the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season.

Black cats became a symbol of the day because it was once believed that souls could travel back into the world of the living in the body of an animal, which was usually a black cat.

Broomsticks don’t just provide a handy means of transportation for witches. The broomstick is symbolic of the magical powers of females, because it’s employed in the cleansing of ritual places.

Here are some fun facts about one of the scariest times of the year — Halloween:

• Black cats are a symbol of Halloween because it was once believed that souls could travel back into the world of the living in the body of an animal — usually a black cat.
• Halloween marks the modern witches’ New Year’s eve. It is a time spent celebrating death, fertility and renewal.
• Halloween is believed to be the time when the dead and other demonic creatures rise to walk the earth once more.
• The ancient Celtic fire festival called “Samhain” is the origin of modern Halloween. This festival was the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, marking the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season.
• The tradition of witches riding their brooms isn’t just because they were the handiest flight objects available. The broomstick is symbolic of the magical powers of females, because it is employed in the cleansing of ritual places.
• “Hallow” is an old word meaning holy, whilst “e’en” is Scottish for evening.
• It is estimated that between the 15th to 18th centuries, approximately two million people were executed for witchcraft, 80 percent of this number were women.

More than 60 percent of Americans say they believe in ghosts. However, less than half believe in witches. That’s according to a RealClear Opinion Research poll conducted late last year. Either way, if they show up to your door on Halloween night, give them some candy.

Forbes is out with a list of the best Halloween vacation destinations in the U.S. At the top of the list is Salem, Massachusetts, site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Next up is Sleepy Hollow, New York, setting of the famous Washington Irving tale about the Headless Horseman. Then there’s the Big Easy. New Orleans gets a top spot on the list for turning its Halloween celebrations up a notch. Anoka, Minnesota earns a spot for its family friendly celebrations including numerous parades. It’s back to the South for the fifth spot, Savannah, Georgia, considered one of the “most haunted” cities in America.

Americans are expected to spend $11.6 billion on Halloween. That’s according to a National Retail Federation survey. That includes mostly costumes, decorations and candy, with a sprinkle of money spent on greeting cards as well. That’s a slight decline from last year’s record $12.2 billion. Nearly half of Americans surveyed said they started buying Halloween goods before October. That’s up from 32-percent in 2014.

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