The origins of trick or treat

In this country, trick-or-treating has been a Halloween tradition since the late 1920s. In Britain and Ireland, the tradition of going house-to-house collecting food at Halloween goes back at least as far as the 16th century, as had the tradition of people wearing costumes at Halloween. In 19th century Britain and Ireland, there are many accounts of people going house-to-house in costume at Halloween, reciting verses in exchange for food, and sometimes warning of misfortune if they were not welcomed. While going house-to-house in costume has remained popular among Scots and Irish, the custom of saying “trick or treat” has only recently become common. The activity is prevalent in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Puerto Rico, and northwestern and central Mexico.