Everything You Need to Know About Trick-or-Treating

Trick-or-treating may be the best part of Halloween—whether you're the kid gathering a big stash of Halloween candy to savor and trade, or a grown-up marveling at the Halloween costume creativity (and giving them a goodie or two, of course).

But how did the Halloween trick-or-treating tradition begin? And why do we say, "Trick or treat!"? The answers to all of your burning trick-or-treat questions are right here.

When Did Trick-or-Treating Begin?

You can thank early residents of the United Kingdom for the trick-or-treating tradition. The earliest origins are traced to the Celtic Samhain, where people disguised themselves and had big bonfires to scare off the gods who were seeking to trick them.

That pagan holiday eventually combined with the Christian All Soul's Day. That led to some new traditions such as guising, mumming, or souling, which still involved disguises and also included visiting neighbors for treats or entertainment. (For instance, souling was when wealthy noblemen would give out "soul cakes" to peasants in exchange for prayers for their families' souls.)

Irish, Scottish, and English people brought these traditions with them when they immigrated to the U.S., but trick-or-treating didn't really take off until the 1950s. Cartoonist Charles Schulz and his Peanuts gang (including that fan-favorite Halloween special, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown) helped seal its popularity—despite the fact that Charlie Brown regularly received rocks instead of Halloween candy.

Why Do We Say, "Trick or Treat!"?

You can thank early 20th-century Canadians for the Halloween catchphrase. The first recorded mentions of "trick or treat" come from 1920s newspaper accounts of Halloween in Canada, according to Merriam-Webster.

There are two schools of thought about why we say, "trick or treat." Some say that the "trick" is simply disguising yourself in order to get a treat. Others suggest that the phrase is kind of like a bribe: Give out a treat, or you might get a trick—like a prank.

Why Do We Give Out Candy on Halloween?

Though there is no concrete answer about why we hand out candy on Halloween, according to the Library of Congress, there are three theories. The first revolves around the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which occurs on the same day as Halloween. People believed that on this day, the veil between the spirit world and the otherworld thinned, so they would leave treats out to appease the ghosts (eventually taking on the tradition of dressing up like them).

The second theory originates in Scotland from a practice called "guising," which some say began in the Middle Ages and others, the 19th century. Children dressed in costumes or disguises—hence, guising—and pretended to be evil spirits. The idea was that by dressing up, they could blend in with the other spirits wandering the earth, and the guisers would perform tricks and songs in exchange for treats.

The third theory centers around the German-American tradition of belsnickeling. On Halloween, kids would dress up and go around to the neighborhood houses, and the occupants would try to guess the child's identity in disguise.

What Is Beggars' Night or Mischief Night?

In some areas of the country, the trick definitely comes before the treat. The day before Halloween, Oct. 30, is often informally known as Beggars' Night, Mischief Night, Devils' Night, or even Gate Night, depending on where in the country you are. (Mischief Night is a big thing in the Mid-Atlantic, including most of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and eastern parts of New York and Pennsylvania.)

It's often a day for pulling pranks on unsuspecting neighbors—such as toilet-papering trees, ding-dong-ditching, moving around outdoor furniture or decorations, or throwing food.

What Day Do We Trick-or-Treat?

In most of the country, Oct. 31 (aka Halloween) is the day to collect your Halloween candy bounty. But in a few areas of the country—such as Des Moines, Iowa—trick-or-treating happens on Beggars' Night, which is Oct. 30.

There has been a bit of a movement to shift the Halloween festivities permanently to the nearest Saturday to Halloween (all the better for Halloween parties and other spooky festivities), but as of now, Oct. 31 is the day to trick-or-treat in most parts of the country.

Ideas for Trick or Treating Treats

Traditionally, everyone hands out candy on Halloween when the kids come knocking. But if you're looking for something else to hand out, here are some ideas. Keep in mind that a lot of parents won't allow their kids to eat anything that's not in a wrapper, so fruits and homemade goodies might go to waste.

• Honey sticks
• Art/craft supplies
• Granola bars
• Pens, pencils, erasers
• Juice boxes
• Rolls of change—decorated festively with stickers or designs
• Bags of trail mix or pretzels
• Temporary tattoos
• Popcorn balls
• Glow sticks
• Fun rubber stamps
• Fruit rolls
• Halloween-themed bouncy balls
• Playdough
• Snap bracelets
• Pokemon (or other) cards
• Mini coloring books
• Spider rings
• Vampire teeth
• Finger puppets
• Mini Slinkies
• Bookmarks
• Mini plush toys

This is just a list to get you started, but get creative! Kids love candy, but they also appreciate toys and trinkets.

What Time Does Trick-or-Treating Begin and End?

In many communities, trick-or-treating can start as soon as school lets out and can go until 9 p.m., with the bulk of younger trick-or-treaters out and about around sunset (typically around 6 p.m.)

Consult with your local news or social media sites to see when trick-or-treating officially happens in your area. And don't forget to put on your outside light if you're providing candy or other treats to local trick-or-treaters—most kids know that a house without outside lights on isn't giving out candy (or already gave their last treats to earlier visitors).

Don't freak out if you see teens in costume coming to your door—while many say that trick-or-treating should stop by the time a child hits their teen years, in some areas of the country, kids still dress up and seek out candy throughout their high school years. (Because who doesn't want to have a little Halloween fun?)

P.S. You may want to shut off your lights early so you can enjoy a little of that Halloween candy for yourself—perhaps paired with the perfect wine for each sweet.