At the end of October, kids everywhere will dress up in costume and go “trick-or-treating.” Whether they go as ballerinas to get Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or as scary monsters to score M&M’s, many A Grade Ahead students will participate in this cherished Halloween tradition again this year. Our staff was curious about its origins, so we went on an adventure to find out.
“All Hallow’s Eve”
Halloween itself has ancient origins in a Celtic tradition. The first people of Great Britain and Ireland celebrated Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) at the end of the summer. This celebration marked the harvest and the transition of summer to winter. At this time, many people believed that the boundary between the human and supernatural worlds drew back or became thin, allowing spirits, faeries, and others to cross between the two. These supernatural beings loved to play tricks on unsuspecting humans, so people wore costumes to disguise themselves, set out food to appease the spirits, and lit bonfires to keep them away.
We know this in part because the Romans described these practices. They also added a few of their own, though. The Romans celebrated Feralia, which was a festival to honor the dead. They also incorporated symbols celebrating Pomona, their goddess of abundance. Apples were important symbols, so some of our Halloween traditions involve apples as a result.
In 609 CE, when the Roman Catholic Church was trying to convert people to Christianity, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints Day. This holiday was a celebration of all of the minor saints in the church. This festival was originally held in the Spring, but Pope Gregory III moved it to November 1st in the 700s. In 1048 CE, November 2nd became All Souls Day, which celebrates the souls of all people. Thus, November 1st and 2nd became holy days for Christians. “Hallow” is another word for “holy,” so October 31st became “All Hallow’s Eve” or simply “Halloween.” Although it became associated with a Christian holiday, the pagan origins of the season lingered in the imaginations of the people.
Is your child interested in history? Call or visit an A Grade Ahead Academy near you to see if we are offering Time Traveler Tales, or one of our other enrichment camps, in your area!
“Soulling,” “Guising,” or “Belsnickeling”?
Trick-or-Treating is one of the ways in which modern Halloween traditions reflect the ancient origins of the holiday. Indeed, the many theories about history of trick-or-treating date it back to age-old practices brought to North America by immigrants.
According to one theory, trick-or-treating is related to the belief that supernatural beings play tricks on humans. However, while people disguised themselves and left out treats as protection from the spirits, they impersonated those spirits and threatened tricks if they did not receive treats.
In the Middle Ages, children and impoverished adults went “soulling,” where they offered prayers in exchange for food on November 2nd or All Souls Day. By the 1600s, though, Scottish and Irish children had also begun to go “guising,” where they would dress in costume and threaten to play tricks on anyone who did not give them treats. In this way, they were combining the ancient and medieval traditions. Scottish and Irish immigrants then brought this custom with them to North America.
Another theory about the origins of trick-or-treating traces it to a German- American Christmas tradition, called “belsnickeling.” While belsnickeling, children wear costumes and try to get their neighbors to guess their identity. In the American tradition, children are rewarded with food and treats if the adults cannot identify them.
The phrase “Trick or treat!” dates to the early 1900s, when people in Central Canada began to use it or variations of it while guising. Children in the northern and western parts of America then adopted it in the 1920s and 1930s. By the 1950s, it was the common refrain of Halloween.
Do you think you would be able to convince people to give you treats? Practice your persuasive writing skills and more with A Grade Ahead’s English classes!
Trick!
Originally, “trick or treat” meant literally just that. The costumed merrymakers threatened to play practical jokes on any houses that did not give them treats. For example, some children carried soap and would soap up people’s windows if they were not given treats. Others smeared molasses on church pews or held ropes across sidewalks to trip people.
In the mid-1950s, though, communities fought back against the pranksters, offering alternatives to trick-or-treating and incentives for good behavior. They started to throw parties and give awards to good children.
Treat!
Although in 2024 most homes will hand out pre-wrapped candy, children originally received cookies, cakes, fruits, coins, and even toys! During World War II, when sugar was rationed, the practice of demanding candy fell out of favor. At that time, it was too difficult to make treats like candy. Candy became the most popular treat in the 1950s, when sugar rationing was over. Even then, though, pre-wrapped candy was not a popular choice in spite of candy manufacturers’ attempts to promote it. It was not until the 1970s that pre-wrapped, factory-made candy became the staple of the evening.
How much candy has been sold since that time? If your child is interested in questions like these or other math ideas, take a free assessment with A Grade Ahead today. Answers await in our enrichment classes!
Halloween Costumes
Whether you wear a disguise in order to protect yourself from supernatural beings or in order impersonate one of them, costumes are an important part of Halloween. Now, we usually buy our costumes from a variety of stores and manufacturers. But, until the late 1940s, most Halloween costumes were handmade. As more and more children wanted to wear costumes, some companies began to manufacture them.
It is very important to choose just the right costume. Traditionally, adults and children have dressed as supernatural beings, like witches, vampires, and ghoulies. The first pop cultural costumes, though, date to the 1930s, when Mickey Mouse was popular. In 2024, the most popular costumes will include Beetlejuice, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Taylor Swift.
Trunk or Treat!
Since the early 1990s, many churches and communities have sponsored Trunk or Treat events, which take place in the bright afternoon sunshine in a safe parking lot. Parents and community leaders decorate the trunks of their cars and offer costumed children treats. These events are meant to keep children in a safe environment, away from busy streets and strangers’ homes, while giving them the Halloween experience.
What do you think? Did you learn something new about the history of Halloween? What will you dress up as this year, and what candy are you looking forward to the most? We would love to hear from you in the comments! Happy Halloween!
Author: Susanna Robbins, Teacher and Franchise Assistant at A Grade Ahead
