I don't know how the "Eve" part got emphasized
The period starts at sundown October 31st. It's a three day celebration however: All Hallows Eve, All Hallows Day, All Souls Day. I believe the tradition started as preparations for the three day event Allhallowtide/Hallowmas. When the sun went down, people would seek to protect themselves from those souls were not martyred, canonized or saved through Christ. Those that were neither condemned to hell nor in heaven were thought to be particularly restless during the festival. I guess people feared they might feel left out or something. Many of the methods were hangovers from the original pagan celebrations, where others evolved over time.
Thus various superstitious behaviours for warding of restless spirits before the Feast and subsequent days dedicated to saints and other Christian souls morphed into what we know today.
As I understand it, at least.
it morphed from a general honoring of "the dead in Christ" to a celebration of "the dead," period
It actually morphed from a general honoring of the 'dead' to a specific 'honoring the martyrs' then 'honoring martyrs, saints and Chrisitans'. The original festival never truly disappeared and it came back, as ever, as a time of silly fun.
superstitious Europeans carved ferocious-looking jack o'lanterns to ward off the demonic nasties that threatened to do them harm if they weren't placated with a "treat" or sacrifice or some such.
The older carvings weren't ferocious, they were just faces I believe. They served the dual purpose of lighting the way for souls of the dead to return home for the celebration and to ward of evil spirits.
Trick or treating seems to be a 20th Century invention, with roots probably in the practice of visiting other houses asking for food in exchange for prayers.
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