- Explainer
Children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door for treats is a relatively modern tradition—but its origins can be traced to the Celts and even a long-lost Christmas tradition.
ByEmily Martin
Published October 24, 2022
• 9 min read
Every year on October 31, adults listen for the sound of a knock on their door from costumed children, arms outstretched with a bag open for candy. In modern times, trick-or-treating has become a nearly sacred Halloween tradition in the United States.
Yet historians say the origins of kids begging their neighbors for food may date back to ancient Celtic celebrations or even a long-lost Christmas custom. And the phrase itself dates back to the 1920s, when Halloween pranks once set entire cities on edge. Here’s how trick-or-treating evolved.
The origin of Halloween
Halloween is thought to date back more than 2,000 years to Samhain, a Celtic New Year’s Day that fell on November 1. Demons, fairies, and spirits of the dead were thought to walk the Earth the night before when the separation was thin between the worlds of the living and the dead.
The Celts lit bonfires and set out gifts of food, hoping to win the favor of the spirits of those who had died in the past year. They also disguised themselves so the spirits of the dead wouldn’t recognize them.
Samhain later transformed in the seventh century into All Saints’ Day or All Hallows’ Day as Christian leaders co-opted pagan holidays. But the night before continued to be observed with bonfires, costumes, and parades under the new name All Hallows' Eve—later "Halloween."
European immigrants then brought Halloween to the United States, and the celebration became popular in the 1800s, when Irish American immigration exploded. Their folk customs and beliefs merged with existing agricultural traditions, meaning Halloween dabbled in the occult, but stayed grounded in the fall harvest. Over the years, the holiday became a time for children to dress up as the ghosts their ancestors once feared.
(Read more about the holiday’s history and myths.)
How trick-or-treating became a tradition
But how did those Celtic traditions evolve into one of children trick-or-treating in costumes for fun and candy—not for safety from spirits?
According to the fifth edition of Holiday Symbols and Customs, in as early as the 16th century, it was customary in England for those who were poor to go begging on All Souls’ Day, and children eventually took over the custom. At the time, it was popular to give children cakes with crosses on top called “soul cakes” in exchange for prayers on your behalf.
Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, traced one of the earliest mentions of typical Halloween celebrations to a letter from Queen Victoria about spending Halloween around a bonfire in Scotland in 1869.
“Having made the circuit of the Castle,” the letter said, “the remainder of the torches were thrown in a pile at the south-west corner, thus forming a large bonfire, which was speedily augmented with other combustibles until it formed a burning mass of huge proportions, round which dancing was spiritedly carried on.”
Morton writes that people in the American middle class often were anxious to imitate their British cousins, which would explain a short story printed in 1870 that painted Halloween as an English holiday celebrated by children with fortune-telling and games to win treats.
However, Morton writes that it’s possible that trick-or-treating may be a more recent tradition that, surprisingly, may have been inspired by Christmas.
A popular 18th- and 19th-century Christmas custom called belsnickling in the eastern areas of the U.S. and Canada was similar to trick-or-treating: Groups of costumed participants would go from house to house to perform small tricks in exchange for food and drink. Some belsnicklers even deliberately frightened young children at houses before asking if they had been good enough to earn a treat. And other early descriptions say that those handing out treats had to guess the identities of the disguised revelers, giving food to anyone they couldn’t identify.
In the 19th century, “tricks”—such asrattling windows and tying doors shut—were often made to look as though supernatural forces had conjured them. Some people offered candy as a way to protect their homes from pranksters, who might wreak havoc by disassembling farm equipment and reassembling it on a rooftop. By the early 20th century, some property owners had even begun to fight back and lawmakers encouraged communitiesto keep children in check with wholesome fun.
These pranks likely gave rise to the use of the phrase “trick-or-treat.” Barry Popik, an etymologist, traced the earliest usage of the phrase in connection with Halloween to a 1927 Alberta newspaper article reporting on pranksters demanding “trick or treat” at houses.
How trick-or-treating grew popular
Trick-or-treating became widespread in the U.S. after the Second World War, when rationing ended and candy was once again readily available. The rapid development of suburban neighborhoods where it was easier than ever for kids to travel from house to house also fueled the rise of the tradition.
In the 1950s, Halloween imagery and merchandising started to reflect that popularity, and the holiday became more consumerist. Costumes went from simple, homemade attire mimicking ghosts and pirates to mass-produced costumes of beloved TV and movie characters.
As trick-or-treating’s popularity rose, adults found it far easier to hand out individually wrapped candies than apples, nuts, and homemade goodies. Candy had first made its appearance in the 1800s at American Halloween parties as taffy that children could pull, and candy is now solidified as the go-to “treat.”
By the mid 20th century, Halloween tricks of old had all but disappeared. Children just wanted candy and homeowners with their house lights on gave it to them. Those that preferred to avoid candy-giving entirely kept their lights off.
But even as Halloween became a wholesome family activity, urban myths arose in the 1960sthat generated concern about whether it was really all that safe for kids to take candy from strangers. It’s difficult to trace the origins of urban myths like razor blades in apples or candy laced with drugs—although, in 1964, a New York housewife made headlines after deeming some trick-or-treaters too old and handing them packages of dog biscuits, poisonous ant bait, and steel wool.
That incident gave rise to educational programs telling children to throw away unwrapped treats, and a shift toward commercial wrapped candy, earning an incidental win for candy manufacturers.
Halloween’s candy boom
Since the rise of trick-or-treating after World War II, chocolate has reigned supreme as the most popular sweet to hand out. By 2009, Halloween had become the top U.S. holiday for chocolate sales, and that number keeps on growing.
The day has become the nation’s second-largest commercial holiday, and this year, Americans are expected to spend an estimated $3 billion on Halloween candy, according to the National Retail Federation. A good portion of that money is spent on Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, which national distributor Candy Store says is America’s most beloved Halloween candy.
Candy corn, first manufactured in the 1880s, also remains a classic—even though it consistently ranks as America’s least favorite Halloween treat. About 35 million pounds of the orange, yellow, and white cone-shaped candy is produced each year with the majority sold for Halloween, according to the National Confectioners Association.
Candy sales took a dip in 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions forced trick-or-treaters indoors. But now, two years later, American children have once again taken to the streets to exhort their neighbors for sweets—and maybe even play some lighthearted pranks—much like the Celts and the belsnicklers that came before them.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on October 27, 2021. It has been updated.
As an enthusiast and expert in cultural traditions and historical evolution, I bring a wealth of knowledge to shed light on the origins and evolution of the modern Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating. My expertise draws from a comprehensive understanding of historical sources, cultural transformations, and the intertwining of various customs over time.
The article delves into the fascinating history of Halloween, tracing its roots back over 2,000 years to the Celtic celebration of Samhain, a New Year's Day occurring on November 1. The Celts believed that on the night before Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead was thin, leading to customs such as lighting bonfires and offering food to spirits. Over time, this Celtic celebration evolved into All Saints' Day, but the traditions of costumes and parades persisted, ultimately giving rise to the term "Halloween."
The transmission of Halloween to the United States occurred through European immigrants, particularly during the 1800s when Irish American immigration surged. The merging of Irish folk customs with existing agricultural traditions paved the way for Halloween to become a time for children to don costumes and participate in the festivities.
The article then explores the intriguing transformation of the tradition of begging for food into the contemporary practice of trick-or-treating. It references the 16th-century English custom where the poor went begging on All Souls' Day, gradually evolving into children taking over the tradition and receiving "soul cakes" in exchange for prayers. The transition to Halloween is marked by a 19th-century Christmas custom called belsnickling, resembling trick-or-treating, where costumed participants performed tricks for food and drink.
The evolution of the phrase "trick-or-treat" is traced to the early 20th century, with pranks and Halloween antics inspiring its usage. The article highlights instances of property owners offering candy as a means to deter mischief, setting the stage for the popularization of the phrase.
The rise of trick-or-treating in the United States after World War II is attributed to the end of rationing and the availability of candy. Suburban development facilitated the spread of the tradition, and by the 1950s, Halloween became increasingly consumerist, with mass-produced costumes reflecting popular culture.
The article touches upon safety concerns in the 1960s, leading to the shift from homemade treats to commercially wrapped candies. Urban myths about tampered treats surfaced, prompting educational programs and a preference for commercially wrapped candy, benefiting candy manufacturers.
Finally, the article highlights the enduring popularity of Halloween as a commercial holiday, with Americans spending billions on candy. Chocolate, particularly Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, dominates Halloween candy sales. The significance of candy corn, despite being a polarizing treat, is acknowledged as a classic Halloween confection with a longstanding history.
In conclusion, my expertise underscores the rich historical tapestry woven into the modern tradition of trick-or-treating, illuminating its diverse origins and evolution over centuries.