[Oratam]

It is easy to see how the different popular practices were mixed into one holiday, and they came to be celebrated on the eve of All Saints, the last day before winter according to Irish and British custom.

My mother (born 1933, Bronx, NY) swears they went around Thanksgiving morning, dressed in tatters, knocking on doors asking "anything for Thanksgiving?" She swears this was the custom and not trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Has anyone else heard of this?

[mware]

I have heard of begging for pennies to bury the wren on St Stephan’s Day.

[Salvation]

That is amazing. Have never heard of it, but it makes sense.