What, you think Celtics used to hand out processed sweets 2,000 years ago during the festival of Samhain? Here are popular Halloween treats people used to give out before candy.
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Loose Razor Blades
Loose Razor Blades
Candy was only slipped into Halloween in the late ’60s to cover for the razor blade shortage.
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Syringes Filled With Diabetes
Syringes Filled With Diabetes
Kids used to run door to door just to jab themselves in the arm before manufacturers realized it would be more appetizing to package the disease as candy.
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Tapas
Tapas
Small plates of chorizo, Manchego, and Iberico ham were typically passed out to children to give them something to snack on without ruining their appetite for dinner.
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Congressional Subpoenas
Congressional Subpoenas
Decades ago, kids would be greeted by the FBI at the door with an order to testify in front of Congress; however the practice later stopped due to kid’s hissy fits.
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The Sorrows Of Young Werther
The Sorrows Of Young Werther
Prior to candy, copies of Goethe’s landmark 1774 bildungsroman novel The Sorrows Of Young Werther was the most popular treat year after year.
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A Hearty Handful Of Fresh Tripe
A Hearty Handful Of Fresh Tripe
Oooh! Tripe!
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A Spin in Your Neighbors 2001 BMW 330i
A Spin in Your Neighbors 2001 BMW 330i
Comfortable, powerful and with great handling, this car was an absolute treat to drive come All Hallow’s Eve.
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Yersinia Pestis
Yersinia Pestis
In the Middle Ages, celebratory treats shared at harvest feasts often surprised holiday revelers with the bacteria that caused the Black Plague.
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Gristle
Gristle
While it can be eaten plain, giddy children could also bring home scraps of chicken and pork gristle so their mothers could make them a batch of savory cartilage taffy.
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Draft Cards
Draft Cards
U.S. wartime planning required all able-bodied children over 5 to receive a draft card at Halloween.
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Spiced Gravel
Spiced Gravel
Intoxicating flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves made this autumn delicacy much more special than the usual gravel people enjoyed the rest of the year.
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Children
Children
People used to have a lot more children, so at least a few were widely seen as dispensable.
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Dodo Bird Meat
Dodo Bird Meat
Widely considered to have driven the bird to extinction.
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Leeches
Leeches
No longer of use to the medical community, leeches briefly provided the chewy sensation that modern-day trick-or-treaters get from nougat.
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Mud
Mud
It may not be edible but there sure is a lot of it to go around.
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Diamonds
Diamonds
The prestige of trick-or-treating​ as a profession has diminished considerably in recent years.
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Cigarettes
Cigarettes
Marlboro used to have the Halloween market practically cornered.
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One Unshelled Walnut
One Unshelled Walnut
Sorry if a good source of fiber and antioxidants wasn’t good enough for you.
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All slides
- Popular Halloween Treats People Used To Give Out Before Candy
- Loose Razor Blades
- Syringes Filled With Diabetes
- Tapas
- Congressional Subpoenas
- The Sorrows Of Young Werther
- A Hearty Handful Of Fresh Tripe
- A Spin in Your Neighbors 2001 BMW 330i
- Yersinia Pestis
- Gristle
- Draft Cards
- Spiced Gravel
- Children
- Dodo Bird Meat
- Leeches
- Mud
- Diamonds
- Cigarettes
- One Unshelled Walnut