Geenschaap

11 november.

Here in the Netherlands and in some other parts of Europe, is a tradition called "Sint Maarten/Martinus" on 11 november. Not everywhere this tradition is done the same, but it mainly involves children begging for candy. Children make a lantern themselves, or their parents buy them one, and with that lantern alight the children go from door to door, sing a song, and expect to get candy for it. It is not known with certainty where this tradition comes from. 

As a child i went from door to door with a lantern singing a song and expected candy for it. I can't remember whether i have asked my parents why we did this, and not knowing myself why it was done or where it came from, i wonder if my parents knew anything about it. (Just now i looked it up on the internet) If i had children before i had internet, and my children were asking about it, i couldn't have given them answers. 'It's just what we do on 11 november'.

When a tradition has no meaning or even a history (the tradition seems fairly recent) then it's nothing more then sheep behaviour.