The US Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating was halted during World War II due to rationing of sugar to make candy and other treats. After the rationing ended in 1947, the tradition of children dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door for candy didn't start to become popular again until the early 1950s after being featured in children’s cartoons, such as the “Peanuts” comic strip. Trick-or-treating is thought to have begun in the US during the 1920s, due to Irish and Scottish immigrants bringing their tradition of “guising,” in which children would dress in costumes and knock on doors to receive fruit, cakes, or other gifts for All Saints’ Day, a Catholic-based holiday to commemorate saints.
More about Halloween:
- Approximately $6 billion US Dollars (USD) is spent each year on Halloween, including candy, costumes, and decorations.
- The tradition of carving pumpkins known as Jack-o-lanterns, comes from the Irish legend of a farmer named Jack using a carved turnip filled with coal to guide his way through the darkness between heaven and hell.
- The most popular children’s Halloween costume is a princess, with approximately 3.8 million costumes sold in 2013.