![]() No longer constrained by sugar rationing, candy companies capitalized on the lucrative ritual, launching national advertising campaigns specifically aimed at Halloween. It quickly became standard practice for millions of children in America’s cities and newly built suburbs. This trend was abruptly curtailed, however, with the outbreak of World War II, when sugar rationing meant there were few treats to hand out. At the height of the postwar baby boom, trick-or-treating reclaimed its place among other Halloween customs. One theory suggests that excessive pranks on Halloween led to the widespread adoption of an organized, community-based trick-or-treating tradition in the 1930s. The Great Depression exacerbated the problem, with Halloween mischief often devolving into vandalism, physical assaults and sporadic acts of violence. By the 1920s, however, pranks had become the Halloween activity of choice for rowdy young people. In the early 20th century, Irish and Scottish communities revived the Old World traditions of souling and guising in the United States. Some American colonists celebrated Guy Fawkes Day, and in the mid-19th century, large numbers of new immigrants, especially those fleeing the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s, helped popularize Halloween. Guy Fawkes Night CelebrationsĬhildren dressed up for Halloween in Jersey City, NJ. ![]() Rather than pledging to pray for the dead, they would sing a song, recite a poem, tell a joke or perform another sort of “trick” before collecting their treat, which typically consisted of fruit, nuts or coins. In Scotland and Ireland, young people took part in a tradition called guising, dressing up in costume and accepting offerings from various households. Known as "souling," the practice was later taken up by children, who would go from door to door asking for gifts such as food, money and ale. Poor people would visit the houses of wealthier families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives. Celebrations in England resembled Celtic commemorations of Samhain, complete with bonfires and masquerades. the church designated November 2 as All Souls’ Day, a time for honoring the dead. ![]() Early Christian and Medieval Roots of Trick-or-TreatingĪn early 20th-century postcard of children on Halloween.īy the ninth century, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older pagan rites. This custom, known as mumming, dates back to the Middle Ages and is thought to be an antecedent of trick-or-treating. In later centuries, people began dressing as ghosts, demons and other malevolent creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. In 1952, Disney produced a cartoon called “Trick or Treat” featuring Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie.ĭuring some Celtic celebrations of Samhain, villagers disguised themselves in costumes made of animal skins to drive away phantom visitors banquet tables were prepared and food was left out to placate unwelcome spirits. ![]() On the sacred night, people gathered to light bonfires, offer sacrifices and pay homage to the dead.ĭid you know? Although it is unknown precisely where and when the phrase “trick or treat” was coined, the custom had been firmly established in American popular culture by 1951, when trick-or-treating was depicted in the Peanuts comic strip. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, believed that the dead returned to earth on Samhain. Halloween has its roots in the ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31.
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