Why We Wear Halloween Costume

Why do we wear Halloween costumes? After a little ghost at my front door asked me that simple question, I went searching for the answer—and found a history filled with fire, fear, returning spirits, soul cakes, carved turnips, mischief, and an ancient bargain. I trace Halloween from Samhain and medieval guising to Stingy Jack, trick-or-treating, and the rise of the modern celebration. Along the way, I explore how costumes changed—and what dressing up still does for us today. 0:00 A child’s Halloween question 1:06 Samhain and the returning dead 3:09 How Halloween got its name 3:53 Soul cakes and guising 4:58 Turnips and Stingy Jack 5:56 Halloween crosses the Atlantic 6:34 Halloween becomes mischief night 7:03 The trick-or-treat bargain 7:31 The rise of modern Halloween 8:45 What costumes really do #Halloween #HalloweenHistory #CostumeHistory #TrickOrTreat #Samhain #Folklore