I understand that Hallowe'en was originally celebrated (if that's the word) in fear, because it was the time of the year (pre-Gregorian calendar, in fact probably lunar) when the boundaries between the world of the spirits and the dead and the world of the living were shaky at best. Dead folks and nasty spirits would roam around seeking living souls to conquer and bodies to inhabit. Thus, folks stayed home and cowered in corners.

Eventually, living people decided that the dead/evil ones could be fooled if they, the living, disguised themselves (I guess they figured that if you were evil or dead you were also stupid). So they disguised themselves when they went out.

Couple this to the traditions in Celtic countries (and this was a Celtic custom, by and large) of putting out milk, food, etc. "for the Good Folk." Doesn't take a lot of thinking to make the leap to begging for treats and, since you're disguised, playing tricks.

Prior to pumpkins coming from the so-called New World, turnips (swedes) were carved as Jack-o-lanterns (and I've read that they were also used a lanterns year 'round, in some areas).

Y'all probably knew all this.

Anyway, the Catholic church co-opted this and slammed All Saints Day (a Holy Day of Obligation in the US, so go to Mass) down on November 1. Day before was celebrated as "All Hallows (as in "hallowed ground") Eve. November 2 is "All Souls Day," if you're interested.

Anyway, I OBJECT to parents busing their kids outside their own neighborhoods. I OBJECT to greedheads of any age at Hallowe'en. No vandalism. I don't care if you're an adult and want to dress up, but I do care if you come to my door expecting candy. Trick-or-treating should be limited to those under 10 -- and I hate to say it, but they should be accompanied by their parents (although we weren't, but it was a different time).

Rabbi, I was raised Roman Catholic (and roamed). Perhaps it was because I was raised in a small Midwestern city, but we wouldn't have considered vandalizing the home of a Jew -- or anyone else, for that matter. (Soaping windows, well...but no egg throwing or stuff like that.) For one this, It Just Wasn't Done, and besides, if you're parents found out (and they would) you would find it very unpleasant.