Why do we give out candy on Halloween?

And why is it called “trick or treating”?

And how is it related to “All Souls Day”?

I’m old and should know the answers to this, but didn’t. Did you?

The tradition of giving out candy on Halloween has roots are tied to several different customs that merged into what we know today as trick-or-treating.

In medieval Europe, people practiced something called “souling” on All Souls’ Day (November 2). The poor would go door to door, offering prayers for the deceased in exchange for food, often small pastries known as “soul cakes.” This practice spread and changed over the centuries, eventually influencing Halloween customs.

When Halloween became popular in North America in the early 20th century, children began going door to door asking for small treats like fruit, nuts, and coins as part of “guising” (where they would dress up in costumes and perform a little skit or song for the household). By the 1930s and 1940s, the phrase “trick-or-treat” started to catch on, with kids threatening playful tricks if they didn’t receive a treat.

The candy part of trick-or-treating didn’t become widespread until the 1950s, when candy manufacturers saw an opportunity and started marketing small, individually wrapped candies specifically for Halloween.

As candy became more affordable and convenient, and safety became more of an issue, it quickly became the go-to treat, replacing homemade snacks, fruit, and other small gifts.

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