Each October, Bing leans hard into spooky season: haunted homepage images, a themed quiz, and often bonus Microsoft Rewards activities around Halloween itself. The questions mix ancient origins with pop culture, and the history half is surprisingly repeatable.
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The origins Bing tests
Halloween grew out of Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking summer's end, when bonfires and costumes were believed to ward off wandering spirits. It later blended with the Christian All Hallows' Eve on October 31, and 'which ancient festival did Halloween come from' is close to a guaranteed question.
Jack-o'-lanterns and trick-or-treating
Carved lanterns began in Ireland with turnips; Irish immigrants in America switched to the native pumpkin, which was bigger and easier to carve. Costumes descend from disguising oneself from spirits, and trick-or-treating echoes older customs of 'souling' and 'guising', going door to door for food or coins.
Pop culture rounds
Expect questions on Michael Jackson's 'Thriller', classics like 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' and 'Hocus Pocus', horror icons, and candy trivia. Around the holiday, Bing has also run multi-day Halloween punch cards in Microsoft Rewards, completing the set earns bonus points beyond the quiz itself.
Scoring well
The history answers above cover the origin questions; for film and music details, search the title plus the specific fact. Check the Rewards dashboard in late October, the Halloween activities often live there rather than only on the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ancient festival did Halloween come from?
Samhain, the Celtic festival marking summer's end, later blending with the Christian All Hallows' Eve on October 31.
Why do we carve pumpkins on Halloween?
The tradition began in Ireland with carved turnips; immigrants in America adopted the larger native pumpkin for their jack-o'-lanterns.
Does Bing run special Halloween Rewards activities?
Yes, alongside the quiz, Bing has offered multi-day Halloween punch cards and bonus activities in Microsoft Rewards during late October.