We have Charlie Brown to thank for the holiday ’s famous musical phrase .

Most of us fondly think back fit room access - to - door as nestling andasking for chocolatesand other delicacy on Halloween night . While reminisce about our Halloween merriment , we wondered , " When did the custom of trick - or - treating become democratic ? "

The tradition dates almost as far back as the holiday itself , and its level is riveting . It was n’t always about performing antic for the neighbors or carrying around apumpkin - shapedbucket to collect handfuls of Reese ’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey ’s measure . In fact , the phrase " trick - or - treat " was n’t mint until pretty recently .

kids trick or treat buckets

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Before youget into costumeand nous out with your family this Halloween , read up on the history of this iconic celebration .

Today ’s Halloween rituals are based onan ancient Celtic harvest festivity call in Samhain , which date back more than 2,000 years . As it spread to England in the first one C , Samhain morphed into two separate holiday : Halloween ( or All Hallows Eve ) on October 31 , and the first of November , now known as All Saints Day . Those who lionise Samhain think that the someone of the dead would reappear on this holiday , but they also thought evil spirits would be present .

Residents would snip up as animals or monsters to scare off the evil purport , which is why we wearHalloween costumestoday . Volunteers would dress in costume and do dances to scare off the ghoul in exchange for food and potable . This is how the " trick " part of " trick - or - goody " was bear .

Around the same time , those needing food would go door - to - door and postulate for " soul cakes " ( apastry of sorts ) . In exchange for the nutrient , they ’d pray for the somebody of the moneyed , which is how the " treat " portion of " trick - or - process " came to be .

Why Do We Say ‘Trick-or-Treat?’

The drill of trick - or - treat particular date back several centuries , though we ’ve swapped " person cakes " forcandy barsand gummy bear . The phrase " trick - or - treat , " on the other hand , is a far more late creation — one linked to the beloved comic strip character Charlie Brown . That ’s correct : We have thePeanutsgang ( and their Jehovah , Charles Schulz ) to thank for this perfumed Halloween say .

Trick - or - treating was unwashed in Europe and America , but children did n’t ring the doorbell and say " trick - or - treat " until the early 1950s when there wasaPeanutscomic strip about trick - or - treating . The phrase had been used here and there but was n’t popularized until the cartoon . So next time you watchIt ’s the Great Pumpkin , Charlie Brown , you’re able to give thanks Charlie Brown and his trick - or - care for bag full of sway for this Halloween custom .