Many of our Halloween customs came here from Ireland and the British Isles. Samhain was a Celtic holiday celebrated on October 31. People believed that the spirits of the dead were out and about because the veil between the worlds was thinnest at this time. People dressed up to fool the spirits that might be about. By the middle ages, there was a lot more merry making with people going from house to house playing tricks and entertaining each other both at All Hallow's Eve and other holidays. The mid nineteenth century was the time of the potato famine in Ireland. Over a million and a half men, women, and children traveled to the United States, bringing their folklore and stories. Halloween or Beggar's Night activities continued here, with tricks and parties. Pranks were often the highlight of the evening.
It wasn't until the 1930's that the activities became known as trick-or-treating. People would give out treats to keep their homes and property from being damaged. It's been called trick-or-treating since then.
In the area where I live, it is customary for the children to have a joke, or a trick to tell before they are given a treat. I have heard that it isn't that way in most of the United States. All they need to do is dress in costume, and knock at the door, expecting a treat. Happily, the vandalism isn't a common result anymore.
Here are some examples of the jokes we hear in Iowa:
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