Trick-or-treating on Halloween is a fun custom for kids all over the world. But where did this activity originate from? How did it become so ubiquitous? To explain this, we first have to learn about the origins of its holiday. Halloween has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31st. The Celts believed that the dead returned to earth on this day in particular. To celebrate their return, people celebrated by lighting bonfires, offering sacrifices, and paying their respects. They also dressed up in disguises of animal skins to scare away phantom visitors. As the centuries went by, people started taking up the guise of more terrifying creatures like ghosts, demons, and etc.
The origins of trick-or-treating came from Celtic lands in the 11th century. People from lower social classes knocked on the doors of wealthier families and asked for pastries called “soul cakes.” In return, they would pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives. This practice is known as “souling.” Later on, children were the ones who asked for gifts, the range of which had broadened to include food, money, and ale. This evolved into the tradition of “guising” – children dressing up in costumes and asking for offerings from different households. Instead of praying for the dead, children now preferred to sing a song, perform a dance, recite a poem, tell a joke, or perform other tricks.
As many American colonists from the United Kingdom immigrated to the United States, they brought along their Halloween traditions. By the early 20th century, Halloween had become ubiquitous within the country. Americans loved celebrating Halloween by pranking people: a tradition that has continued up until today. Trick-or-treating became a standard practice in the immediate post-World War 2 period as families became concentrated in suburbs and cities. Companies capitalized on this holiday to make profit and churned out many variations of candy specifically for Halloween. Mainstream culture and the media helped to popularize trick-or-treating in America as well. By the early 1950s, the custom of trick-or-treating was firmly ingrained into American culture.
Today, trick-or-treating continues to be a widespread practice for children around the world. There’s so much joy in going to random houses and asking for candy because you never know what you will get! However, the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly affect how Halloween is celebrated this year as many countries are still under lockdown. If the custom continues under COVID restrictions, it is best to stay safe and follow guidelines while still enjoying the holiday.
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Published on October 31, 2021
Written by Lindsay Wong ~ Edited by Alex Truong ~ Graphics by Elwin Fu
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