by Dawn E Denmar

Created on: October 16, 2009   Last Updated: November 27, 2009

For many European parents, the tradition of trick or treating on Halloween is an American imported custom that has been taken over by their children with gusto. For example, shops across the UK will operate a policy in the weeks surrounding Halloween of refusing to sell eggs or flour to children, as "egging" people and property has become one of the most popular tricks to carry out.

Most Europeans are however,seemingly unaware that the origins of this tradition are firmly rooted in pagan and medieval European customs such as the Mischief Nights in England and the guising traditions of the Irish and Scots. Whilst there is some debate over whether the tradition of souling could also be credited with the birth of trick or treating, it is not covered in this piece of work as it originated from the religious celebrations of All Souls Day on 2 November, so is not traditionally part of the Halloween festivities.

Guising - Credited for Origination of Trick or Treating and also Christmas Carolling

Guising was a regular occurrence on the Eve of Hallowtide, now known as Halloween. Participants, not only children, would wear masks or blacken their faces with soot and wear grotesque costumes. They would call from door to door in their neighbourhood, either performing a song, dance, or small theatrical in return for payment in beer, cider, sweets or nuts, or a penny or so. It is also thought that the popularity of the Christmas carolling pastime may be due in part to the Celtic tradition of guising.

Mischief Night in England

Mischief Night was common throughout the British Isles and occurred on the 30th April as well as 31st October. It was an excuse for a range of pranks from smearing treacle on door knobs, to the smashing of glass outside houses so that the householder thought his windows were being smashed. Turves of grass would often be thrown down householder's chimneys to make the fire smoke within the home, or cabbages and turnips thrown at houses and even doors taken off hinges and hidden far away from the home. On Mischief Night, revellers would wear turnip masks and carry lamps, candles and lanterns. Lanterns were often made from hollowed out mangle wurzels or turnips from the fields, very much after the fashion of the Pumpkin Jack o'Lantern of today.

Furthermore, Punky Night has been a tradition in Somerset since the Middle Ages when a group of women went out looking for their husbands who were late returning from a local fair. The women carried hollowed out mangel wurzels with candles inside, locally referred to as punkies. This tradition has persisted up to the present day with locals.

Guising and Mischief Night Revels Cross to America

Whilst the original migrants from Britain to America were deeply religious, they did not take the old rural traditions of Mischief Night or guising with them. However, the larger influx of migrants to America of Irish and Scottish from the 19th Century onwards took the Mischief Night and guising traditions with them. These traditions were slowly adapted In America and Canada from what could be perceived to be quite grotesque and frightening into the more child friendly and popular tradition of trick or treating that exists today. For further detail on Halloween and Trick or Treating see The History of Halloween-Druid or Christian Feast

Sources:

F Marian McNeill, Hallowe'en, The Origin, Rites and Ceremonies in the Scottish Tradition

Hilary Lee-Corbin, Hallowe'en

Homer Sykes, Once a Year, Some Traditional British Customs

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