In This Article
- What is Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
- What is the Origin of Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
- Why do People Trick-or-Treat on Halloween?
- Why Do We Say “Trick-or-Treat” on Halloween?
- When is Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
- What Time Does Halloween Trick-or-Treat Start?
- How to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween
- Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating on Halloween
- What to Give Halloween Trick-or-Treaters
- Fun Ideas to Enhance Your Trick-or-Treat Experience
Grab your broomsticks and hold on to your pumpkins because it’s time to delve into the spooktacular history of Halloween trick-or-treating! We’ll explore where it comes from, why we do it, why we love it, and give you a few fun tips on how to make this year’s Halloween your best yet.
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What is Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
Everyone’s favourite Halloween tradition involves excited kids and enthusiastic adults dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door. At each house, they call “trick-or-treat!” in exchange for sweets or the odd trick! It’s a festive mix of fancy dress, community fun and little treats all wrapped up in an evening of spooky adventure.
What is the Origin of Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
Halloween trick-or-treating is more popular than ever, but its roots stretch back centuries! It began over two thousand years ago with the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. During this time, it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was weaker. People would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming spirits. Spooky stuff!
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, and you’ll find the tradition of souling, where the poor went door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. In Scotland and Ireland, the children took part in guising – dressing in costumes and performing tricks or songs for treats. Sound familiar?
Eventually, these customs crossed the Atlantic as people migrated and morphed into what we now know as Halloween trick-or-treating. Today, the tradition is enjoyed in many countries, including right here in the UK, because who doesn’t love a good excuse for fancy dress and free sweets?
Why do People Trick-or-Treat on Halloween?
While we may not hold onto the centuries-old harvest ritual or souling tradition, Halloween still has human connection at its heart. As the Halloween tradition became more commercialised, especially from the 1950s, the idea of giving out sweet treats became the highlight of the event.
Festive sweets and chocolates with orange and black wrapping appeared on shelves, and sweet treats became the official currency of Halloween. As much as it's about trick-or-treating, it’s also about families coming together, dressing up and interacting with their neighbours for a bit of fun!
Why Do We Say “Trick-or-Treat” on Halloween?
The trick-or-treat phrase is a playful warning to the house that if you don’t give out a tasty treat, the hungry kids might play a cheeky trick! According to Phrase Finder, it first appeared in the 1920s in Canada and soon spread around the world. The ritual adds a little theatre to the evening, and kids never get tired of chanting the phrase for their sweets and chocolates. These days, Halloween is all about the treat, but there are always one or two mischievous pranksters in every neighbourhood!
When is Halloween Trick-or-Treating?
Halloween always falls on 31st October, but trick-or-treating hours can vary depending on your area. It’s always a good idea to stick to early evening hours, especially for younger kids. Not all houses take part, so make sure there is a carved pumpkin outside the door – the universal sign that the house is open for spooky business!
What Time Does Halloween Trick-or-Treat Start?
In most UK neighbourhoods, Halloween trick-or-treat start time is anywhere from 5.30pm to 6pm and generally wraps up by 8.30pm or 9pm at the latest. This gives everyone time to finish school or work, throw on a costume and head out before it gets too dark. Always be a polite Halloween ghoul and avoid taking the kids out too late in the evening, especially at homes that aren’t decorated or have the lights off.
How to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween
Never trick-or-treated before? Follow our easy top Halloween tips.
- Help the kids pick a costume: Get spooky, silly or go full-on superhero. Don’t forget your own!
- Plan your route: stick to familiar streets and houses that are decorated. It’s always a great atmosphere when kids hook up with their friends and go knocking together, so ask on any parents WhatsApp groups where and when others are heading out.
- Give each child a treat bag: buckets, baskets, a DIY spooky tote bag, or even a pillowcase will do.
- Ask the kids to knock politely: remind them to say the magic words with a smile and always thank the house for their reward.
- Don’t let them eat everything at once: help them save their loot for tomorrow and the coming days!
Safety Tips for Trick or Treating
Here’s how to make sure your night stays more treat than trick.
- Choose visible costumes: equip your creatures of the night with glow sticks, torches or reflective tape so you can keep track of them at all times.
- Stay on well-lit paths: avoid dark alleys and always walk on the pavement.
- Try to go with another adult to help keep an eye on the little ones. When there are lots of excited little witches and ghostbusters running around, it can be hard to keep count in the dark!
- Don’t let your kids be sugar zombies! Set the ground rules that no-one runs ahead, let alone crosses any roads without the adults – at least to help keep your stress levels manageable. (This goes hand-in-hand with not letting the kids eat their haul as they go along.)
- Check their sweets: give everything a once-over, and be mindful of portion sizes before letting them tuck in. Discard any open or damaged wrappers.
What to Give Halloween Trick-or-Treaters
Go classic or get creative with our easy list of treats and ideas.
- Chewy classics: you can’t go wrong with a selection of Rowntree’s® chewy and gummy sweets. Get a step-by-step guide with our Rowntree’s® Halloween Party Bags article.
- Mini chocolates: Smarties® Mini cartons and 12g Milkybar®s are always a hit.
- Mini fruit bars or raisins add variety and a balance of fun and nutrition.
- Themed extras: stickers, temporary tattoos, or Halloween-themed pencils or stuffed toys are great for some extra magic.
- Themed packaging: make up mini mix bags of sweets tied with orange and black ribbons or mini buckets for bonus Halloween fun flair. You can also hide a few plastic spiders in the bags!
- Make them laugh: throw in a free joke with our Halloween Jokes for Kids article!
Fun Ideas to Enhance Your Trick-or-Treat Experience
- Decorate your doorstep: think pumpkins, cobwebs, scary party shop accessories, coloured lighting and spooky music.
- Wear matching costumes: be a friendly gang of neighbourhood zombies!
- Host a post-treat party: have fun counting your haul with games, snacks, and a creepy baked treat from our Halloween Baking Recipes article!
- Join the local Halloween fun: many communities host dedicated Halloween routes, so get involved!
- Why not set up a creepy photo spot? Dress up an Instagrammable area that’s great for capturing those fang-tastic costumes.
Let the Trick-or-Treat Games Begin!
The Halloween trick-or-treat tradition is more than just collecting sweets and chocolates: it’s a celebration of spooky fun and creativity for the whole family. With its roots in ancient traditions and its place in modern pop culture, it’s no wonder the Halloween ritual continues to be a family favourite. So, light up your pumpkins, prep your treats, get dressed up and don’t forget to say thank you!
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Questions?
Chocolate brownies are easy to make and only require a few simple steps. First, melt the chocolate and butter, then whisk in the sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and any additional chocolate chunks, then fold to combine. Tip the mixture into a 20 x 20 cm brownie tin lined with baking paper and bake!
Sure thing! Brownies freeze incredibly well. Simply pop them into an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost at room temperature. You can also warm the brownies in the microwave and serve with a blob of ice cream. Yum!
Store your brownies in an airtight container for up to five days. If you like your brownies more cakey, store them at room temperature. If you’d like them more fudgy, store them in the fridge.
Brownies come in three variations: fudgy, chewy and cakey. The difference between the three is the amount of flour. The less flour, the more fudgy the brownie. So fudgy brownies have the least flour, chewy brownies have a little more, and cakey brownies have the most.
