If the jack o’ lantern gave Halloween its face, then “trick or treat” gave it its soul, or at least its sugar rush. But where did that actually come from? Did kids just start shaking down neighbors for candy one night and everyone rolled with it? Or was there a plan, maybe even a corporate ploy to sell more chocolate bars?
When Halloween Crossed the Ocean
The Celtic festival of Samhain was the seed; it was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Wales for centuries.
Nineteenth century Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their customs to North America: carving lanterns, dressing up, and playing pranks.
The word Halloween (from All Hallows’ Eve) dates to medieval Christianity, when October 31 was the night before All Saints’ Day.
By the late 1800s, American communities were already blending the pagan “ghost night” and Christian “holy eve” into one event that leaned heavier on fun than fear.
Trick or Treat — The Candy Revolution
The phrase “trick or treat” first popped up in Canadian newspapers around 1927, describing kids going door to door demanding treats under threat of mild mischief, such as toilet paper, soap, or flour pranks.
By the 1930s and 1940s, the practice had spread through the U.S.
World War II sugar rationing hit pause, but by 1947–1952, candy giants like Hershey’s and Mars jumped in, promoting factory wrapped candy as a safer, cleaner alternative to homemade sweets.
And just like that, boom, trick or treat became the world’s sweetest shakedown.
How Other Cultures Adopted It
Halloween didn’t officially go global until the 1980s–1990s, when American TV, movies, and marketing exported it worldwide.
The U.K. and Ireland re-embraced it (ironically, since it started there) with an American twist of costumes, candy, and parties.
Elsewhere, it mutated beautifully:
- Japan — cosplay parades and neon street festivals
- Mexico — blended with Día de los Muertos
- Philippines — echoes of Pangangaluluwa, a door-to-door “souling” tradition that predates modern trick or treating
Pop culture and capitalism did the rest; from E.T. to Hocus Pocus, Hollywood made Halloween impossible to ignore.
Has It Always Been Candy?
Not even close. Early trick or treaters got nuts, coins, fruit, or homemade cookies.
Candy took over in the 1950s for convenience and safety and by the 1970s, it reigned supreme thanks to marketing and urban legends about “tainted” treats.
So yes, Halloween was sweetened by capitalism, but it wasn’t born there, the candy industry just spotted a cavity inducing opportunity.
Ending
No, Halloween wasn’t born in a boardroom, but it sure grew up in one.
The old spirits of Samhain may have started the fire, but American capitalism poured sugar on it and turned it into a bonfire of chocolate bars, costumes, and fun sized chaos.
Maybe that’s why, every October 31st, we don’t just honor the dead, we feed our inner kid, one candy bar at a time.