Trick-or-Treating HistoryNo. 1774 · The 2026 edition
Trick-or-treating
Ever wondered where the tradition of going door-to-door for candy came from? Uncover the ancient roots of trick-or-treating!
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
Trick-or-treating has its origins in medieval Europe, where poor people would go door-to-door on Hallowmas (November 1) in exchange for food and money. This practice, known as 'souling,' eventually merged with Celtic traditions from Samhain, a festival where people dressed in costumes to ward off ghosts. By the early 20th century, American children adopted the custom, and after World War II, it spread widely, becoming the Halloween staple we know today.
About this
Trick-or-treating has its origins in medieval Europe, where poor people would go door-to-door on Hallowmas (November 1) in exchange for food and money. This practice, known as 'souling,' eventually merged with Celtic traditions from Samhain, a festival where people dressed in costumes to ward off ghosts. By the early 20th century, American children adopted the custom, and after World War II, it spread widely, becoming the Halloween staple we know today.
From the original
Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". The history of trick-or-treating traces back to Scotland and Ireland, where the tradition of guising goes back at least as far as the 16th century.
