We use countless everyday products, sayings, and traditions without giving much thought to where they came from. Believe it or not, some of their origins are surprisingly grim. Born from war, disease, or crime, these unsettling beginnings faded from public memory, leaving behind familiar objects and customs that seem completely ordinary today. Once you learn the real stories behind them, however, it’s hard to look at them quite the same way again. These everyday things all have origins far darker than most people realize.