Trick or treat is a common phrase we hear at Hallowe’en.  The word “trick” has two meanings during this celebration of the harvest.  In some countries, children go door to door and perform a trick, such as singing a song or an acrobatic display, in order to earn their treats. It also has a not-so-nice theme, when the trick is a threat to a homeowner that if they don’t give a treat to the child, something bad will happen to their property! 

In Canada, children dress in costumes for their treats. No performances are necessary on the doorstep and if someone doesn’t hand out candy, there are no nasty tricks played on their homes!  That is good!

For hundreds of years, Hallowe’en has been a time to honour and remember those that have died during the year, but superstitions have also played a part in the festivities, and some of those superstitions are now traditions.  It was once thought that if you carved a turnip into a lamp, this would help a person’s spirit cross over into heaven. When people settled in Canada, there weren’t that many turnips, but pumpkins were everywhere at the end of October, so they started carving those instead and that superstition changed into the carved jack-o-lanterns on front steps for Hallowe’en!

It is mostly movies and books that have made Hallowe’en into such a scary time, although some of those costumes are horribly terrific!