<P> At one time, candy apples were commonly given to trick - or - treating children, but the practice rapidly waned in the wake of widespread rumors that some individuals were embedding items like pins and razor blades in the apples in the United States . While there is evidence of such incidents, relative to the degree of reporting of such cases, actual cases involving malicious acts are extremely rare and have never resulted in serious injury . Nonetheless, many parents assumed that such heinous practices were rampant because of the mass media . At the peak of the hysteria, some hospitals offered free X-rays of children's Halloween hauls in order to find evidence of tampering . Virtually all of the few known candy poisoning incidents involved parents who poisoned their own children's candy . </P> <P> One custom that persists in modern - day Ireland is the baking (or more often nowadays, the purchase) of a barmbrack (Irish: báirín breac), which is a light fruitcake, into which a plain ring, a coin, and other charms are placed before baking . It is said that those who get a ring will find their true love in the ensuing year . This is similar to the tradition of king cake at the festival of Epiphany . </P> <P> List of foods associated with Halloween: </P> <Ul> <Li> Barmbrack (Ireland) </Li> <Li> Bonfire toffee (Great Britain) </Li> <Li> Candy apples / toffee apples (Great Britain and Ireland) </Li> <Li> Candy apples, candy corn, candy pumpkins (North America) </Li> <Li> Monkey nuts (peanuts in their shells) (Ireland and Scotland) </Li> <Li> Caramel apples </Li> <Li> Caramel corn </Li> <Li> Colcannon (Ireland; see below) </Li> <Li> Halloween cake </Li> <Li> Novelty candy shaped like skulls, pumpkins, bats, worms, etc . </Li> <Li> Roasted pumpkin seeds </Li> <Li> Roasted sweet corn </Li> <Li> Soul cakes </Li> </Ul>

Where did halloween originate from and what year