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In oil pastels and charcoal; a surreal illustration of a line-up of trick-or-treating children in profile dressed in costumes and masks: a pirate, a fortune teller, a ghost made of gauzy material, and a manga character; in the dark background other figures are intimated some with various glow in the dark neon bracelets and wands; strong slanted side light shines from the open door where witchy hands hold out a bowl with treats; this blends Junji Ito's horror style with the quirky detail of Moebius, surreally odd in the style of James Ensor
It's finally here! Happy Halloween!!!
For me, it was always about the costume not the candy.
According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the exact phrase "trick or treat" was first recorded in Alberta, Canada, in 1927 in the 'Blackie Herald', where youths demanded edible plunder to prevent mischief. (Thank you, Canada!)
If this is not a tradition in your area of the world, here's a bit of history about it:
The tradition of "trick or treat" is a strictly secular phenomenon in the United States (observed on the night of October 31). But its roots go back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was closely linked to supernatural and mysterious forces. In the Middle Ages, the Christian church established November 2 as All Souls' Day; on this day, the poor as well as children would go from house to house, offering to pray for the souls of the departed in exchange for small treats known as "soul cakes." In Scotland and Ireland, there was a custom called "guising," where young people would dress in costumes and visit homes—not to offer prayers, but to perform a "trick"—such as singing a song, reciting a poem, or telling a joke—in return for fruit, nuts, or coins. Immigrants brought these customs to North America, where, initially, Halloween celebrations often consisted of pranks and boisterous mischief. During the Great Depression, some of these antics took on a destructive nature. Following World War II when sugar rationing was lifted, the commercialization of the holiday intensified significantly, and in 1952, Walt Disney released the cartoon "Trick or Treat", featuring Donald Duck. Today's children often dress up as their favorite characters from books, comics, or films. [Wikipedia]
