Tricking and treating has a history

Everything you need to know about the history of Halloween.

By: Regina Hansen, Boston University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 17, 2026

Words: 1,208

Last Updated: 10 hours, 53 minutes ago

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By Regina Hansen, Boston University

Over the past few decades, Halloween celebrations have gained in popularity, not only with children and families, but with all those fascinated with the spooky and scary.

As a scholar of myth and religion in popular culture, I look at Halloween with particular interest – especially the ways in which today’s Halloween tradition came to evolve.

A pre-Christian tradition

Many practices associated with Halloween have origins …

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