You've probably found yourself at least once, on Halloween night, facing groups of children in cute costumes ready to recite one of the most famous questions in the world: trick or treat? No matter the formula used, the meaning remains the same: a sweet "threat" according to which, if you don't offer a treat, you might receive a little trick. But where exactly does this curious custom come from? Its origins are ancient and have to do with the return of the dead and prayers for their souls.
The Celts and Samhain
It all begins with a traditional Celtic festival called Samhain: a sort of New Year's Eve that fell on November 1st and symbolized the end of summer and the beginning of winter. It was believed that, during the night before, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead became blurred, allowing spirits to return to earth. To protect themselves or curry favor, people lit bonfires and left food offerings for the deceased: they often also wore disguises to avoid being recognized by the spirits and deceive them.
As time passed and Christianity spread, the Samhain ritual coincided with the Christian celebration of All Saints' Day, when the faithful adopted some pagan festivities. However , the tradition of lighting bonfires and dressing up during the night of October 31st, the eve of the holiday, remained in use.
Souling and Guising: the English Ancestors
So, how did we get from the Celts to children in costume knocking on doors? Before arriving at the present day, we must stop in the United Kingdom where, as early as the 16th century, it was customary for the poor and children – called soulers – to go around begging on November 1st, All Souls' Day: they would knock on people's doors, ask for food and offer prayers for their deceased relatives in exchange. What they were given, however, were not sweets and chocolates but a soul cake: a sort of spiced biscuit with a cross carved into it, made with shortcrust pastry and enriched with sultanas and blueberries.
Over time, this custom further evolved into what we now consider a trick-or-treating tradition: children began to dress up and carry carved turnips —the predecessor of our current pumpkin, which, however, came a few years later in America because it was easier to carve —with a candle inside. The flickering light produced by the candle represented a soul trapped in Purgatory, and each soul cake eaten symbolized its release.
Over the centuries, this tradition became, so to speak, more "theatrical": the new custom of guising took the same rite as soul cake, but added a few extra touches. Children began dressing up as saints, angels, and demons, asking for gifts of food, such as fruit, nuts, and even coins. In exchange, they no longer prayed for the dead, but sang, recited poetry, and performed short sketches.
Trick or Treat Today
Having explained the evolution of these ancient practices, how did we arrive at the idea of offering treats to avoid being played a trick? In reality, there is no precise explanation for this transition, but it is known that, between the 19th and early 20th centuries, the English and Irish who emigrated to the United States brought with them many of their traditions, including souling. In America, however, this practice transformed into something different: children began to dress up and ask for sweets, such as sweets and chocolates, or even small gifts. Pranks, on the other hand, came into the scene when children began to perform small pranks such as throwing eggs on doors or soap on windows: therefore, the idea began to gain ground that, by giving children some sweets, these pranks on the homes or gardens of the inhabitants could be avoided.
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