The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice when poor folk would receive food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2nd). It originated in Ireland and Britain and spread slowly over the decades to North America, stalled briefly by sugar rationing for three years during World War II. By 1953, the popular culture of trick-or-treaters was firmly established when Walt Disney portrayed it in a cartoon and Ozzie and Harriet were besieged by costumed children on an episode of their television show. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Halloween costumes
The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice when poor folk would receive food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2nd). It originated in Ireland and Britain and spread slowly over the decades to North America, stalled briefly by sugar rationing for three years during World War II. By 1953, the popular culture of trick-or-treaters was firmly established when Walt Disney portrayed it in a cartoon and Ozzie and Harriet were besieged by costumed children on an episode of their television show. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!
