The History of Trick-or-Treating.

Newsletter 027.

Every Halloween, kids across North-America don costumes, grab a pillowcase, and hit the streets in search of full-size candy.
But where exactly did this tradition come from?
Like all good things, trick-or-treating has its roots in a fascinating combination of history, culture, and sucrose.

It starts in ancient Ireland with a festival called “Samhain” (pronounced Sow-win), celebrated by the Celts over 2,000 years ago.
Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time when it was believed that the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest.
People thought spirits could roam the Earth freely on this night, mingling with the living.

To appease these wandering souls, and maybe prevent them from causing too much mischief, Celts would leave out offerings of food and drink.
Some even dressed in costumes, usually animal skins or creepy masks, to either scare off, or blend in with any spirits who might be up to no good.
So, right from the start, we’ve got two key ingredients for modern trick-or-treating: dressing up in costumes and giving out food to appease the spirits.

Fast forward to the Middle Ages in Europe, where we start to see traditions that resemble modern trick-or-treating emerge.
One of these was called ”souling”.
On All Souls’ Day (November 2), a Christian holiday to remember the dead, the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the souls of deceased family members in exchange for food, usually soul cakes, and small spiced pastries.
This practice of “souling” is one of the earliest records of people going from house to house, asking for treats in exchange for a favour.

Around the same time, we also get “guising”, a Scottish and Irish tradition that might ring a few bells.
Guising involved children dressing in costumes (or “guises”) and going door-to-door, performing songs, reciting poems, or telling jokes in exchange for treats like fruit, coins, or nuts.
It wasn’t just about asking for goodies; you had to earn your keep by providing a bit of entertainment.
Guising was especially popular around Halloween, and over the centuries, it would evolve into the more familiar form we recognize today.

As Christianity spread across Europe, church leaders adopted and transformed pagan festivals to fit their religious calendar.
Samhain, for instance, eventually became tied to All Hallows’ Eve (the night before All Saints’ Day, on November 1st), which later became known as Halloween.
The traditions of souling and guising persisted, blending together in this new Christianized version of the old pagan festival.

By the time European immigrants, especially the Irish and Scots, brought their Halloween customs to America in the 19th century, the groundwork for trick-or-treating had already been laid.
However, it wasn’t until much later that the practice would truly take off in North America.

In the early 20th century, Halloween in North America looked very different from today’s candy-centric celebration.
Kids and teenagers often engaged in pranks and mischief on Halloween night, sometimes going so far as to vandalize property.
Think less “cute kids in costumes” and more “teenagers TP-ing your house.”
By the 1920s and 1930s, this chaos was becoming a serious problem, and many towns looked for ways to curb the mischief.

Cue the rise of organized Halloween parties and parades, which were designed to give kids something to do other than cause trouble.
And it worked…
For the most part.
But it was during the post-World War II years, especially in the 1950s, that trick-or-treating as we know it really exploded.
With the baby boom in full swing, suburban neighborhoods became the perfect setting for a safer, more family-friendly Halloween.
Kids could go from house to house without fear of major pranks or getting lost in the chaos of urban streets.

Around this time, candy companies began to see a golden opportunity.
While trick-or-treating had traditionally involved treats like homemade cookies, apples, or small toys, candy manufacturers recognized they could make Halloween their holiday.
They began to heavily market candy as the ideal Halloween treat, and by the 1970s, individually wrapped candy had become the gold standard.

No history of trick-or-treating would be complete without touching on the wave of safety concerns that started in the late 20th century.
By the 1980s, stories of tainted candy and dangerous strangers began to circulate, sparking a wave of fear among parents.
Reports of razor blades in apples (though mostly unverified) and poisoned candy (one case, in Texas, was unfortunately real) led to widespread caution.
Parents were advised to check all candy before letting their children eat it, and some areas even began to discourage homemade treats in favor of store-bought, pre-packaged candy.

Despite these concerns, trick-or-treating continued to thrive, though in some neighborhoods, alternatives like "trunk-or-treating" or organized community events have gained popularity as safer options…
Nevertheless, the core elements, dressing up, knocking on doors, and, of course, collecting candy, remain largely unchanged.

Trick-or-treating is more than just a fun Halloween pastime; it's a valuable ritual that fosters community, imagination, and social connection.
By gathering neighbours and families in shared celebration, it strengthens community bonds, creating a sense of belonging that can be rare in our digital age.
For children, it encourages creativity, allows them to safely explore independence, and introduces them to traditions that highlight generosity and trust.
These experiences are essential in building empathy and community awareness, qualities that are often sidelined in modern, society.
In a world that often feels disconnected, trick-or-treating serves as a reminder of togetherness and neighbourhood spirit.
At least it used to…

thanks for reading.
wesley