Ever wonder how the ‘trick or treat’ custom got started?
The modern practice of going door to door in search of treats is an adaptation of the Celtic tradition of leaving food as an offering to honor the dead. Going door-to-door (or house-begging) is also an ancient custom. This normally included much laughter, singing and general merriment by the participants. As the years passed, this also included giving some sort of performance (reciting a rhyme, singing a little song) for some sort of reward (edible pastries, apples, or even a coin or two).
The early church paralleled this act around the ninth century A.D. by the practice of “souling” on Nov. 2. Christians would go door to door collecting “soul cakes” (square pieces of bread with currants). The person who collected the cakes would pledge to say prayers on behalf of the deceased relatives of the donors. The more cakes that were gathered, the more prayers would be said, and the soul of the deceased would more quickly find heaven.
In Ireland, the people would go from house-to-house begging for food for a community feast and the materials to make the bonfire. Those who gave generously were promised blessings for the coming year and the stingy threatened with plagues of bad luck.
These tricks, which started out as mere harmless pranks, started to turn to true vandalism. To combat this, people began to bring back the old ways of having children dressing in costumes going from door-to-door collecting their “treats.” This custom continues today, despite rumors about nasty surprises in candy given to the children. Many parents are deciding that their children cannot go door-to-door any longer, and only attend the Halloween parties given by known friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately, like many of our holiday customs, the wonder and joy of Halloween is slowly being replaced by fear and suspicion.
R.L. Jardine
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