Monday, October 31, 2016

Trick or Treat

Here it is, October 31st, Halloween.  Today is an extremely warm, sunny and windy day for Colorado.  The year that I lived in North Dakota, it snowed on Halloween.  The snow did not stop the children from trick-or-treating.

Tonight, the children will be going from house to house asking for treats such as candy.  I enjoy seeing all the little children dressed in various costumes from being a princess, superman, Captain America, ninja turtle, etc.

It was interesting reading about trick-or-treating.  The term, the "trick" is a threat to perform mischief on a home if the owner does not give the person a "treat".  I have my candy and Halloween hat ready.



I read that trick-or-treating has been a Halloween tradition in the United States since the late 1920s. In Britain and Ireland, this has been a tradition since at least as far back as the 16th century.  In the 19th century in Britain and Ireland, people dressed in costumes would go from home to home reciting verses in exchange for food and warning of misfortune if they were not welcomed.  

The custom of trick-or-treating on Halloween comes from the belief that supernatural beings, or the souls of the dead, roamed the earth at this time and needed to be appeased.  At least as far back as the 15th century, among the Catholics, they would visit homes and take soul cakes(to represent the dead or to pray for their souls).  

It is amazing to see how these traditions came about.  The United States have borrowed these customs from other countries across the Atlantic.  Here we are in 2016 and these customs are still being practiced.

Be careful of the goblins and enjoy your evening!



2 comments:

Rick Watson said...

Scary:) Happy Halloween Niecy.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

It was warm here too but we are in spring and the days are warmer with every few days a cool to cold day tossed in for good measure.