Origins of Trick-or-Treating
Ever since the 16th century, the tradition of trick-or-treating has been a part of Halloween culture in Scotland and Ireland, and has traveled to many other parts of the world over time. This is also the case with the culture of dressing up in costumes during Halloween. During its origins, trick-or-treating, or guising as it was referred to back then, involved going from house to house and performing a small act in exchange for food and treats. Over time, as more and more areas of the world picked up on the practice, the phrase “trick-or-treat” was created. The phrase was first recorded being said in North America in Ontario, Canada, during the 1910s. This took a while to become a part of the culture in Scotland and Ireland, though, as it did not become popular there until the 2000s.
Origins of Costumes
Although costumes were worn while trick-or-treating, they come from a different origin in comparison. The original reason costumes were worn was for warding off supernatural and folkloric beings. People during the 16th century picked up on it to ward off evil spirits during this time of year. It was believed that around Halloween, or around that time of the year in general, was the time period when the souls of the dead could easily pass into the world of the living. This time period is referred to as liminal, which means that it’s related to a transitional or initial stage of a process. It was believed that evil spirits were able to gain good fortune through demanding it, so wearing the representation of these evil spirits, people believed that they too could acquire these good fortunes.
So, if you want to enjoy Halloween, you can express yourself as anything you want. Costumes are a big part of the culture centered around Halloween, and taking part in it is one of the best ways to present your Halloween festivities.
