by Ave Yarrum

Created on: March 23, 2009   Last Updated: March 25, 2009

"Trick or Treat" is a tradition that started about 2000 years ago, of course, not the phrase, but the custom. The Celtic people and maybe the Eygptians and Chinese all practised the celebration of summer's end. It was a time to prepare for the cold part of the year and the harvest was offered as a sacrifice.

The Irish who came to America in the late 1840's brought some Halloween traditions with them. The idea that "All Hallows Eve" be celebrated in the new country was an Irish tradition and the treats and costumes continued as a practise in the United States. The old world traditions took on some changes as time went by.

Some historians will say that the poor would go "souling" or visiting homes to pray for the dead and in return get food, while other historians will sight that residents put the best food out on the doorstep for the dead who wandered the streets in an attempt to return to their former homes. The residents feared that if they didn't leave food on the doorstep that the spirits would be angered and haunt them.

Tricks began being played by Halloween participants early in the tradition's history. Probably an older group of celebrants than we see going door to door. Many stories relate that the mischief of the pranksters became very disruptive. Did the treats become a way to settle the restless spirits of the pranksters?

Treats became a practise for celebrants and around 1939 and candy became the treat of the holiday. The tradition was honored by neighborhoods across America, and although the Jews do not celebrate this holiday because of its pagan roots, non-Jewish neighborhoods enjoy the tradition.

In the 1970's and 1980's, tainted candy began showing up. Hospitals began offering to X-ray candy before consumption and this eased the minds of parents and still allowed for the children's fun. Some parents today offer another treat for the children and will not allow them to go door to door.

In rural areas, children will be driven to town to visit residences. Some towns will keep shops open after hours and children are invited to go from shop to shop to gather sweets. Main Street is well lighted on that night.

Cities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin celebrate the trick or treat tradition on the Sunday afternoon before October 31st. The daylight parade of youngsters going door to door has helped to lessen the "tricks" that have become so popular. Unfortunately, some violence still occurs on Halloween night. TeeP-ing with toilet paper is really messy, but fairly harmless. It is the violence that frightens most parents in this 21st century of Halloween traditions.

Get ready for All Hollows Eve...buy candy and hope that you don't get tricked!

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