Day 7: Trick or Treat
Trick or treating (as it is called) is a big part of Halloween. It is particularly popular in America but is present in many countries in modern times. Even people who are not particularly fond or supportive of it sometimes buy sweets in case any children come to their door trick or treating. Not everyone enjoys it, some people turn their lights off to pretend they're not home, some people ignore the door, some people answer it and simply say no, some even buy stickers or signs for their door requesting trick or treaters to skip their house.
As a UK resident, when I was a child trick or treating was not something I did and few of my friends did either. I think for the most part it was still seen as an American custom. I once went trick or treating to three houses, all neighbours who I knew. The houses Mum said to go to in an emergency. I was also escorted by our next door neighbour who was also a close family friend. But I never had any idea how or why it started
Celtics believed that on 31st October and 1st November, fairies, spirits and the souls of the dead would roam the earth. Offering them food would appease them. Dressing up and impersonating these supernatural beings and accepting offerings from homes on their behalf was also believed to protect you from them. In 15th century Christianity, from 31st October to 2nd November (Allhallowtide), people would visit houses and take soul-cakes either as representatives of the dead or in return for praying for their souls. Early accounts of people going to houses in costumes incudes a performance; short scenes, parts of plays, verses, rhymes or even singing. The performers would hope for food as a reward, not necessarily sweets but small cakes, apples, anything really.
The trick or treat element of this Halloween past-time seems to have diminished a little. Very often if the person doesn't get a treat they do not play a trick on anyone. though some people still do, usually it is relatively harmless, a house getting egged or toilet paper thrown in the garden is about as extreme as they get. In some places, the 'trick' element is getting the individual looking for sweets to perform a trick or Halloween themed joke before getting their reward. Trick or treat now, has become more of a phrase than a threat, not a change I object to.
The trick or treat custom did take something of a hit in the eighties. The media and word of mouth spread the myth that sweets were being tampered with and contaminated candy was being given to children by some of the people they asked for a treat. There were rumours of razorblades, rocks, even poison. Although it seemed to be unfounded for the most part, it threw people into a bit of a panic. It did not help that parents blamed illness or death during or immediately after the holiday on the conspiracy theory. One five year old boy found his Uncle's heroin stash and, unaware of what it was, consumed it. When the boy died shortly after, his family, in an attempt to protect the Uncle, claimed it had been sprinkled on sweets he had received. In another case a man did lace sweets with cyanide to kill his son, he gave the sweets out to some other children in hopes of concealing his crime but thankfully, they didn't eat any and he was convicted for his son's murder.
The danger of trick or treating brought to the forefront of people's minds, led to a different way of doing it. Some places now do what is called a Trunk and Treat (trunk being the American word for a car boot). Basically, it's a little like a car boot sale but it's trick or treating out of cars rather than knocking on people's doors. It is seen as a safer option, not least because it is often organised and/or run by church groups or organisations seen as attempting to help and benefit the community. Not something I have heard of happening in this country though, as far as I know, we never heard the contaminated candy myth.
Now, there are a few downsides to trick or treating. There are some children that, even with parental supervision, bother people who they should really leave alone. Also, some people dislike the idea of trick or treating seeing it as a form of begging. Back in the forties there was even a group of children who protested trick or treating asking people not to beg. There are also individuals who keep knocking far too long. There could be elderly, disabled, vulnerable people in the houses where there is no answer, I don't see why people insist on pounding on your door incessantly. You'd think when no-one answers they'd take a hint.
If you are going trick or treating any year please take this advice
1. A house with no Halloween decorations anywhere might be one to skip
2. Check for signs on doors that say no trick or treats, they did warn you
3. If no-one answers the door move on, a vulnerable person uncomfortable with opening the door may live there, have some respect.
4.If the person offers anything they say you have to come into the house for, run for it, they are still strangers.
5. Put on a costume, if you don't make the effort you don't really deserve a treat.
6. Don't go alone, aim to have someone at least 16 go with you to look after you and stay together
Until then be safe, have fun, and maybe avoid that house on the corner with the wicker man statue
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