5. The United States (regional) – Beggars’ Night
While all Americans are doubtlessly aware of Halloween and trick-or-treating, those living outside the Midwest region may not be aware of the unique history of Beggars’ Night. In the 1930s, Des Moines, Iowa had a serious problem with teenage vandalism. Teenagers would run amok on Halloween soaping or breaking windows, throwing bricks, and lighting fires. This chaos peaked in 1938 when over 500 calls were placed to the Des Moines police department regarding vandalism. The community had to act. The city council created a “beggars’ night” on October 30th to encourage children to trade “mischief” in the form of jokes for candy.
Beggars’ Night officially debuted in Des Moines in 1941. The idea gained national traction the next and Beggars’ Night began to spread throughout the Midwest as a way to keep children safer and curb teenaged mischief. The idea continues to be popular in the Midwest and Iowa especially, with many towns arbitrarily setting a date for beggars’ night in the week leading to Halloween.
As concerns for safety continue, some towns are turning to “trunk or treat” as an alternative to letting children wander around masked on busy roads. In small midwestern cities, churches are often used as a staging location with numerous adults parking cars with decorated trunks for children to visit for candy. In an homage to the original Beggars’ Night, some Des Moines homeowners still ask for a joke or mild insult in exchange for candy.