What is the history of Halloween’s trick-or-treating custom?
Trick-or-treating was born from a European custom from the ninth century. Earlier, on November 2 or All Souls Day, Christians used to travel from town to town in search of “soul cakes,” a treat of bread with currants. This was known as “souling.” In exchange for the cake, the beggars would offer prayers to hasten the passage to heaven of the souls of the contributors’ deceased relatives. How did the current history of Halloween evolve? Halloween’s popularity in the United States grew so much that it influenced similar celebration in Europe. More recent history of Halloween in the United Kingdom reveals that mischievous children have often pushed their luck with the “trick” element of trick-or-treating, so that police have had to crack down on them. Similar menacing “tricks” in other countries in Europe have raised red flags about the celebration of this holiday.
