The Origin of Trick-or-Treating

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Trick-or-Treating is also known as 'Guising' and has been recorded as far back at 1895 in Scotland and may have links to Celtic festivals. There are a few theories contesting where it began but it seems to have become far more popular since the 1950s, especially in Northern America. 'Souling' (England and Ireland)has also been linked to this tradition where the poor would go from house to house singing hymns to the dead to receive food or coins. Nowadays children dress up to receive sweets and it tends to result in a house being 'tricked' (usually by egging the house) if the owners do not comply to the offering of treats.

It is safe to say that years ago the costumes were far more haunting (above) and I do think it is customary for most houses to provide a pot of sweets for children, even if you leave it on the porch. I always try and provide sweets to avoid being tricked! I can't say I agree with the idea of being tricked in the first place and since there is no real evidence for children in the past to ever vandalise I don't really see how this came about! It was usually said and never done it seems.

Decorating ones home around this time of year was originally done to ward off evil spirits which explains the presence of a scary 'lantern' made from a pumpkin.

I love this time of year but I never really go all out like they do in America although I would love to visit my family over there to experience it! I need to add that to the Bucket List :)

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

I was having a little look online for some interesting films I could watch around this spooky time of year and I cam across this film Trick 'r Treat, written and directed by Michael Dougherty. It includes four Halloween focused stories which interweave to create one. They all feature Sam, a Trick or Treater who teaches all why we shouldn't break the Halloween traditions.

As soon as I saw the images for this film I thought it looked quite creepy and even though it isn't recent, it is new to me so I will be watching this!

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Let me know in the comments section if you have seen this film and your rating as this would be good to know! I will also give my feedback shortly.

Halloween Poetry

In the run up to All Hallow's Eve I have been collaborating with a fantastic tweeter @johnnywhizzbang to create poems that relate to some eery photographs. Via his website,  I have posted a few poems that link to the photographs provided by him.

His website is sufficiently creepy and spine-chilling for this time of year. Halloween is one of my favourite holidays as I love trick or treating, the ghost stories told and of course the ritual horror movie fest.

Here are the poems that have been featured so far, there will be more in the run up to the 31st October but I thought I would share the genius of this site to all those people (like me) who appreciate this sort of art.

''Darkness engulfs the room

I hear empty whispers of lost regrets

Shifting moves in the faint moonlight

Their eyes fixate on my human presence''

''Empty vessels carry years of loneliness

Laughing demons trick those who listen

Together on this one frivolous night

These creatures rise to give us a fright''

''The night draws close and I hear them howl

They cry towards the moon and know they are heard

Creeping through their lives with a hidden secret

On this night they shall be revealed''

I have done a print-screen so you can just see my specific poems but please go to the actual website and have a look, you won't be disappointed >  http://johnnywhizzbangshalloween.tumblr.com/

Also, if you love horror movies like myself, have a look at my TOP 10 Horror Movies by clicking the link. Let me know your favourite horror films too!

My twitter handle: @trishaaa_