“But others again didn't..."Tricks or treats" you could hear the gangs call out, and if the householder passed out the "coin" for the "treats" his establishment would be immune from attack until another gang came along that knew not of or had no part in the agreement,” the newspaper reported in 1917.
Some alternative theories even argue that the tricks came first, and treats existed as a means to pacify them. Louise and Gary Carpentier, editors of Halloween Postcards Catalog, wrote, in 2007, that “"There are cards which mention the custom [of trick-or-treating] or show children in costumes at the doors, but as far as we can tell they were printed later than the 1920s and more than likely even the 1930s.”
#25 "Hello Mah Baby, Hello Mah Honey, Hello Mah Ragtime Gaaaaal!" Should Have Had The Soup!
“Tricksters of various sorts are shown on the early postcards, but not the means of appeasing them," so perhaps it was simply people treating these folks as another racket. In the US, it was also not exclusively seen as a Halloween activity, as an older part of the Thanksgiving celebrations also involved going around in a costume.
Either way, these days, costume making has been elevated to an art form, as one can see here. If you still want to see other, brilliant and creative costumes, Bored Panda has got you covered. Check out our article on folks with disabilities who made awesome costumes. Or see what outfit one-legged comedian, motivational speaker, and former US Paralympian Josh Sundquist made this year.
