Trick or Treat!

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween, is an ancient celebration that combines autumnal pagan rites and Christian holidays.

Ancient Celts believed that on this date the gulf dividing the living and the dead was bridged. They left food out for wandering spirits and sacrificed some of their autumn harvest and herds to appease them. Some say that Celts also began wearing scary costumes to frighten away malevolent souls.

To coincide with pagan traditions, Christians made November 1 All Saints Day (or All Hallows Day) and November 2 All Souls Day. These feasts commemorate the lives of lesser saints and ordinary people who have recently died. The Trick-or-Treat tradition of begging for food also stems from these pre-Christian beliefs—though Kermit displays a decidedly contemporary twist!

Pictured: Kenneth McGowan, 1940–86, Kermit, 1979, cibachrome print on paper, 14 x 14 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from National Endowment for the Arts.