The film highlights how modernization has obscured Halloween’s historical roots, with characters who pay fatal consequences for forgetting the old ways. It made me wonder: would I recognize these traditions if my life depended on it? As a self-proclaimed Halloween enthusiast, I decided to dig deeper. What I discovered only deepened my appreciation for how Halloween blends cultural influences and practices. As David J. Skal, author of Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween, aptly puts it, “Halloween is a kind of Frankenstein’s monster among holidays because it’s stitched together from so many different traditions” (Trick 'r Treat: The Lore and Legends of Halloween 2009).
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| Photo from Google Images |
Samhain: The Dark Half of the Year
The most prominent nod to Halloween’s origins in Trick 'r Treat comes from its mischievous antagonist, Sam. His name, “Samhain,” harks back to an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter's darkness. Rooted in pagan beliefs, Samhain symbolized death, both in nature and the human world.
Traditions of the festival included bonfires, music, feasting, and disguises meant to ward off wandering spirits. The Celts believed that during this time, the “veil” between the living and the dead thinned, allowing spirits to roam freely. These practices laid the foundation for many of our modern Halloween customs. To learn more, explore these posts from History.com (Editors 2024) and National Geographic (Handwerk 2018).
Jack-o'-Lanterns: A Light in the Dark
The film also features one of Halloween’s most iconic symbols: the jack-o’-lantern. The tradition of carving these glowing guardians traces back to an old Irish folktale about “Stingy Jack,” a wily trickster who cheated the Devil not once but twice.
Denied entry into both heaven and hell after his death, Jack was condemned to roam the earth with only a hollowed-out turnip and a single ember to light his way. Thus, the first jack-o’-lantern was born. The legend warns that a lit pumpkin on your doorstep can protect you from Jack's wrath—a tradition lovingly carried into the film. The full story can be found through various sources, but I’ve enjoyed Magick & Alchemy’s retelling available here (Lisenby 2022).
Costumes: Hiding in Plain Sight
One of the most recognizable elements of Halloween, costumes, is heavily featured in Trick 'r Treat. While modern costumes became popularized in 1930s America with the commercialization of the holiday, the tradition has its roots in Samhain.
The Celts believed that during Samhain, when spirits walked the earth, disguises could trick malevolent entities into mistaking humans for their own. What began as a protective measure has since evolved into a staple of Halloween celebrations, but the eerie symbolism remains (History.com 2024; Handwerk 2018).
Why Halloween Lore Matters
Beyond these traditions, Trick 'r Treat incorporates numerous other nods to Halloween lore. From urban legends about tampered candy to the importance of respecting the dead, the film stitches together elements that celebrate Halloween’s rich, multifaceted history.
In my next post, I’ll explore why preserving and spotlighting these stories through modern media, like Trick 'r Treat, is so valuable—and how they continue to shape our understanding of cultural identity.
Suggested viewing: Trick 'r Treat: The Lore and Legends of Halloween, 2009
References:
Handwerk, B. 2018. Halloween: Costumes, History, Myths, and More. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/101029-halloween-costumes-ideas-history-science-nation#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20sacrificing%20animals%20to%20the,Center%20at%20the%20U.S.%20Library%20of%20Congress [Accessed: 31 October 2024].
History.com. 2024. Halloween 2024. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween#halloween-comes-to-america [Accessed: 31 October 2024].
Lisenby, K. 2022. Ghost Stories: The Tale of Stingy Jack. Tamed Wild: Magick & Alchemy Blog 19 May. Available at: https://tamedwild.com/a/blog/ghost-stories-stingy-jack?srsltid=AfmBOookNGp86Xri-uNtgN4-PzTXyjh55SyuaesmzstRJRIB629aNZyi [Accessed: 31 October 2024].
Trick 'r Treat: The Lore and Legends of Halloween. 2009. Directed by: Michael Dougherty. [Prime Video]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures.
