Popular Halloween Treats People Used To Give Out Before Candy

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.

Loose Razor Blades

Candy was only slipped into Halloween in the late ’60s to cover for the razor blade shortage.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A Hearty Handful Of Fresh Tripe

Oooh! Tripe!

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.

Yersinia Pestis

In the Middle Ages, celebratory treats shared at harvest feasts often surprised holiday revelers with the bacteria that caused the Black Plague.

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.

Draft Cards

U.S. wartime planning required all able-bodied children over 5 to receive a draft card at Halloween.

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.