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trick or treat
DCHP-3 (Oct 2022)
Spelling variants:tricks or treats, treat up -- or tricks, treat or trick
expression — Social customs
ceremonial chant on Hallowe'en night.
Type: 1. Origin — The first recorded attestation of the Hallowe'en chant is from 1917 Ontario (see first two quotations), which requires us to label the phrase "Canadian". Images 1 and 2 show the original texts. The Sault Star, reporting out of Sault Ste.Marie on the Canada-U.S. border, records a variation of the chant in which both nouns are pluralized, Tricks or Treats! (see first 1917 quotation), whereas The Sun out of Owen Sound, across Lake Ontario from the Sault, reports a variation, Treat or Trick!, that reverses the order of the two nouns (see second 1917 quotation and 1921 quotation). A slightly more threatening phrasing of this form (Treat up -- or tricks!) is also seen in the early 1920s on the Prairies, as reported by The Edmonton Bulletin (see 1924 quotation). The form that is in widespread use today is the one reported by both The Lethbridge Herald, in southern Alberta, and by the Western Globe in Lacombe, central Alberta: Trick or Treat! (see 1927 and 1937 quotations).
Quotations
1917
"Tricks or treats" you could hear the gangs call out, and if the householder passed out the "coin" for the "treats" his establishment would be immune from attack until another gang came along that knew not of or had no part in the agreement.
1917
The usual number of boys and girls were out on Wednesday evening ringing door bells, etc., but nothing more formidable than a few false faces and “treat or trick” greeted me, on going to the door.
1921
The small boys and girls too, were out in large numbers, with their customary false faces, etc., calling on many of the citizens, with the salutation "treat or a trick." Unless too rude, the people generally treated them cordially, and after a few words of banter sent them on their way rejoicing.
1924
The familiar Hallowe'en ultimatum of 'Treat up -- or tricks' is to be more or less a back number this season. In addition to the regular city police and special reserves, the Boy Scouts have been requested by Chief Shute to aid in the work of keeping the usual mischief of the season down to a minimum and in a letter to W. Solway, local executive of the organization, the police head makes various suggestions along this line.
1927
"TRICK OR TREAT" IS DEMAND
(From Our Own Correspondent)
BLACKIE. Nov. 3--Hallowe'en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word "trick or treat" to which the inmates gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing.
1937
The cry of "Trick or Treat" heard around Town Saturday night amid a drizzle of rain was all that Hallowe'en meant to Lacombe. No vandalism, practical jokes or damage was caused, according to the police. Extra officers for the evening patrolled the streets to keep childish pranks within reason, but they had little work to do.
1942
Trick or Treat!
It was no trick, It was a great treat to see young Democracy in action on Halloween night. It was a great treat to be privileged to help by helping to the cause of the distressed people, and in the doing and in the giving to remember our many blessings.
1960
Why not? Are our sleek and comfortable children so selfish that they are disappointed at sparing one corner of their overflowing trick or treat baskets for a collecting tin for UNICEF?
1989
Except for the very youngest, children were safe to go out alone on their excursions, yelling 'Halloween apples' rather than the American adopted 'trick or treat.'
2002
We yelled "trick or treat" or "Halloween apples" at each door, and received just that. Sometimes a treat, sometimes an apple (lots of those, actually), and often a "trick;" [...].
2007
"Halloween apples," are not carmelized fruit treats at all, but rather an exclamation to yell instead of "Trick or treat" door to door on Oct. 31 in many parts of the Prairies.
Images
Image 1: "Tricks or Treats" chanted by the youth on Hallowe'en night, according to The Sault Star, 1 Nov. 1917. Photo: B. Popik.
