Why is candy handed out on halloween

It often indicates a user profile. Log out. US Markets Loading H M S In the news. Aaron Goldfarb , First We Feast. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know. Loading Something is loading. Email address. In the centuries that followed, people started dressing up as ghosts and spirits themselves, performing and doing tricks in exchange for food.

Eventually, Christianity overtook Celtic rituals, but Christians from the ninth century onward had their own holidays that were similar to Samhain. In Ireland and Scotland, people would dress in costume and go from house to house, singing, telling jokes, and offering other services in exchange for a treat.

In the early 20th century, people regularly celebrated Halloween in the United States, but these celebrations usually took the forms of either pranking or parties, not going from door to door. As trick-or-treating became more widespread across America, candy also became the preferred treat for practical reasons; after all, if you have a lot of children coming to your door, candy is a good way to get a high quantity of sugar at a relatively low cost.

So unless soul cakes make a comeback, you can probably expect to continue giving out trick-or-treat candy for years to come. Skip to content. Warning: You may be gaining weight because of your gut. Click Here. Keep scrolling, there's more! Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

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