ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KTVI) -- Thousands of trick-or-treaters will go door-to-door Friday across the St. Louis region, dressed in costumes and ready to fill their bags with candy. But some may need to earn their tasty treats with a sense of humor.

As part of a Halloween tradition for some St. Louis-area households, your child might be asked to tell a joke in exchange for candy. Occasionally, this may come as a surprise to parents who venture out with their children for the first time, families who recently moved to the St. Louis area, or out-of-towners.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when this started, but jokes have been part of the St. Louis trick-or-treating experience for decades. As to why? That depends on who you ask.

Folklorist John Oldani offers some insight in his 2013 book St. Lou-is

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