An older Irish phrase used by children when going door-to-door on Halloween night, equivalent to the North American 'trick or treat'. Instead of threatening a trick, children in Ireland would appeal to the goodwill of neighbours by asking them to 'help the Halloween party' — implying they were collecting sweets, nuts, or coins for a celebration. The phrase reflects Ireland's older Halloween traditions, which predate the commercial American-influenced version that has since largely replaced it.
Back in the 1970s, kids in rural Ireland said 'help the Halloween party' at the door instead of trick or treat.
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(dated, Ireland) Trick or treat.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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