Souling for cakes and beer: The Catholic tradition of trick-or-treating

[Michie]

Instead of begging for candy, children and adults knocked on doors and exchanged "soul cakes" and ale for prayers.

While there are many different origins of the modern-day celebration of Halloween, one of them comes from the Catholic tradition of “souling.” This particular custom was popular in Britain and Ireland in the Middle Ages and was maintained for many centuries.

According to Christ Lore, a book of popular English Christian customs written in 1902, “souling” was done on “All Souls Eve,” prior to the celebration of All Souls Day on November 2nd, and was connected to praying for the souls in purgatory.

From the religious custom of PRAYING FOR THE SOULS OF THE DEAD, in olden England there sprang the popular custom of going a-souling…Whether the custom originated in collecting money wherewith to pay for Masses for the dead, is not known. But bands of children, or of old women, or of poor men, went round to the houses of the well-to-do on Souling Day, as they called it, begging money, apples, ale, or doles of cake. In some parts specially baked cakes were prepared in readiness to give away; they were called soul-cakes. The begging was performed by the aid of quaint rhyming ditties. In Salop the ditty used was: —

Souling times’ coming, so we are souling here
All we’re souling for is apples and good beer.

Another doggrell used was: —

Continued below.

Souling for cakes and beer: The Catholic tradition of trick-or-treating

Instead of begging for candy, children and adults knocked on doors and exchanged "soul cakes" and ale for prayers.

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