We love playing tricks and giving treats! It’s so fun to play silly tricks on your friends and family and it’s even more fun sharing a treat in a creative way! Then, there’s our other favorite ‘trick or treat’ activity on Halloween night! Getting dressed up in your favorite costume and visiting your neighbors with a *knock* *knock* and a yell of “TRICK OR TREAT” in hopes of receiving delicious candies and sweets to fill your bag!

Well, have you ever wondered where the tradition of ‘Trick or Treat’ started? Since we love Halloween Traditions so much, we thought it might be nice to share with you the history of ‘Trick or Treating’ or rather ‘guising’ (as in disguising).

The tradition of dressing up and wearing costumes dates back to the Celtics! Their new year began on November 1st.  The year ends as autumn does and the new year begins with winter. The Celtic belief was that between the end and beginning of the year, the physical and spirit worlds overlap. Young men would dress like spirits in an attempt to ‘trick’ spirits and ghosts into thinking they too were dead. By the 11th Century the Catholic Church adapted this activity into their ‘all souls day’ celebration (also on November 1st.) Catholics would dress up as angels, saints and even demons during their celebration.

Trick or treating began in the Middle Ages. Children would dress up in their ghostly costumes and beg for food or money from door to door in exchange for songs or prayers. This tradition was called ‘souling.’

By the 1920’s the newest form of this tradition had made its way to North America, called ‘Trick or treating.’ Instead of singing a song or offering a prayer in exchange for treats, children would threaten to vandalize if their demands were not met. All in good fun of course. The threats were idle ones and were meant to be fun and silly.

Now in 2016, we have reinvented the sport of “trick or treat” yet again! The Skeleton in the Closet loves the silliness so much, that he decided to have the festivities last all October long! With this new Halloween tradition, we play tricks and give treats everyday of October until Halloween night. Why limit the fun to only one night! Now you can enjoy it all season long!

To learn more about the origin of Trick or Treating, check out this amazing article from TodayIFoundOut.com

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Happy Halloween and Happy Trick or Treating!