Halloween bag:Trick 'r Treat

"Trick or treat!" By the time this trick-or-treat bag was manufactured in the 1960s, virtually every child in the country expected to receive candy on the night of Halloween simply for going door-to-door and requesting it. While the corn, black cat, jack-o'-lantern, and witch depicted on the bag hark back to Halloween's ancient origins and communion with deceased ancestors, the custom of handing out candy seems to have begun in the 20th century as bribery to discourage rampant Halloween mischief. When such vandalism reached a peak in the 1920s, civic organizations established Halloween festivals and other group activities to deter kids from playing pranks. Clearly, handing out sweets worked, too.

Trick-or-treating on Halloween is not nearly as old a tradition as its popularity might make it seem. In fact, it was one of the last elements to emerge in the celebration of the American Halloween. Occurring for the first time in the 1920s, it was not nationally accepted until the 1950s, when gathering goodies became the focal point for many Halloween celebrations. By the 1960s, paper trick-or-treat bags were standard equipment for little goblins across the country.