Why is everybody ignoring the posts about Halloween being a BRITISH festival and continuing with this American import thing? It happens every year and as a Scots-Irish person I get really irritated about it, its our festival, part of our culture and heritage that our ancestors took with them to the New World. My conclusion is that because its not part of English culture its dismissed as a foreign import.
The Americans do it a bit differently of course, it evolved over there, and it does annoy me that people do it the American way but lets be clear that it was ours first!
Here's how it was done in Scotland when I was little - and is still done like this round my home parts. Halloween is when the spirits of the dead get a window to come back and cause a bit of trouble so it is important to face up to them and tell them that we're not scared and they need to bugger off back to their own place. This is done by children dressing up in mad costumes carrying bright lanterns and going house to house and singing a song, doing a little skit or whatever. The ghosts in the house then go away and the children are thanked with some sweets. The tricks are on the ghosts.
Its a lovely British festival and it would be a shame to lose it through misunderstanding.
I'm with you on this one, and I am English. It sounds great the way it is done in Scotland would love to see it done the traditional way.
Why is everybody ignoring the posts about Halloween being a BRITISH festival and continuing with this American import thing? It happens every year and as a Scots-Irish person I get really irritated about it, its our festival, part of our culture and heritage that our ancestors took with them to the New World. My conclusion is that because its not part of English culture its dismissed as a foreign import.
The Americans do it a bit differently of course, it evolved over there, and it does annoy me that people do it the American way but lets be clear that it was ours first!
Here's how it was done in Scotland when I was little - and is still done like this round my home parts. Halloween is when the spirits of the dead get a window to come back and cause a bit of trouble so it is important to face up to them and tell them that we're not scared and they need to bugger off back to their own place. This is done by children dressing up in mad costumes carrying bright lanterns and going house to house and singing a song, doing a little skit or whatever. The ghosts in the house then go away and the children are thanked with some sweets. The tricks are on the ghosts.
Its a lovely British festival and it would be a shame to lose it through misunderstanding.
How else are you meant to slag off Americans?
Also I wouldn't be too quick to complain about the American way of doing it. It evolved differently over here because it combined Halloween and the Day of the Dead festival.
Don't they have a rule in the US (or parts of the US at least) that trick or treaters can only go to houses that have Halloween decorations outside, because that is a sign that the residents want to participate? I think that's a good idea.
We don't answer the door to trick or treaters, though as it's usually the same kids every year they no longer bother us because they know by now we don't participate. Never had any problems with 'tricks'.
No the rule is if the person has their front lights on you can go to their houses. If their lights are off then you can't. (Atleast in Texas it is)
The times we haven't decorated we just kept our lights on and the kids came around for candy and we gave it out.
I work for a charity and I got a lovely call earlier this week from a lady who wanted to go collecting for us dressed up! I just thought that it would be so nice if that was what traditionally happened at Hallow'en.
I grew up in Scotland and did guising. You dress up, go round the houses and perform for your treats. I have some wonderful childhood memories of doing that.
..I grew up in Scotland and did guising. You dress up, go round the houses and perform for your treats. I have some wonderful childhood memories of doing that.
Thank you (and Fieldfare), I was trying to remember what the old tradition was. Trick AND Treat, maybe a bit like Christmas carolling.
Not anywhere that I've seen it isn't. You have to remember as well that it's not just Halloween but Día de los Muertos too. The two are very intermingled.
Not anywhere that I've seen it isn't. You have to remember as well that it's not just Halloween but Día de los Muertos too. The two are very intermingled.
You aren't asking a DS audience to understand integration, are you?
Not anywhere that I've seen it isn't. You have to remember as well that it's not just Halloween but Día de los Muertos too. The two are very intermingled.
Same question, and do non-Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead?
Do you mean trick or treating or Halloween? This thread is trick or treat, I know there are a few other Halloween threads.
Same question, and do non-Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead?
I mean trick or treating AND halloween.
The day of the dead reference is to why Halloween in America AND trick or treating is not the same as it is the UK (which seems to be greatly upsetting some people).
You aren't asking a DS audience to understand integration, are you?
You're a card you really are .
When you get the chance you might wish to check out Festivals at Eid, the Notting Hill & other Carnivals and Diwali, the Festival of Light, in any of the UK's multicultural cities. Obviously that's once Halloween is out of the way.
In Colorado Springs the USAF academy chapel is as you can see a wonderful building. Sometimes they give visitors a tour. Your guide will proudly show you the different parts of the building dedicated to the different faiths of the world (or anyway the world of the USAF). When you ask him where the place of worship is for Muslims (representing 1/5 of the world population) he will make some polite apology and admit that there isn't one. Looking at the above link it turns out there isn't one for Hindus either (1/7 of the world population).
They don't do trick or treat round my way.Never seen or heard a thing for years.
Maybe it's because i stand at the front window(with the light on) in my exceptionally large Y fronts?.;):D
I ignored some trick or treaters one year. I didn't answer the door. 5 minutes later there was a power cut. I honestly thought they had done something as a trick. I was a bit unnerved at the time.
I ignored some trick or treaters one year. I didn't answer the door. 5 minutes later there was a power cut. I honestly thought they had done something as a trick. I was a bit unnerved at the time.
:mad: In some places the old folk are terrorised by yobos extorting money from them.
The day of the dead reference is to why Halloween in America AND trick or treating is not the same as it is the UK (which seems to be greatly upsetting some people).
You're right of course, there's nothing like Día de los Muertos in the UK. When I was a student I worked in a charity shop selling among other things Mexican-made gifts (Fair Trade). I remember around Halloween we wanted to sell some of these skeletons and macabre Mexican pieces (which we knew probably from television) but they weren't in the catalogue .
In my experience hardly anyone goes trick or treating any more, I'd read that it was similar in the States.
I'm bound to say the rosy view of Scottish 'guising' which posters have mentioned it turns out wasn't entirely rosy, sometimes it was just a cover for begging: Glasgow Herald 1929
You're right of course, there's nothing like Día de los Muertos in the UK. When I was a student I worked in a charity shop selling among other things Mexican-made gifts (Fair Trade). I remember around Halloween we wanted to sell some of these skeletons and macabre Mexican pieces (which we knew probably from television) but they weren't in the catalogue .
In my experience hardly anyone goes trick or treating any more, I'd read that it was similar in the States.
I'm bound to say the rosy view of Scottish 'guising' which posters have mentioned it turns out wasn't entirely rosy, sometimes it was just a cover for begging: Glasgow Herald 1929
That's wrong. Planety of kids around here go trick or treating. I'm in Texas btw.
Comments
Last year my neighbours front door got egged because the kids didnt like the treats my neighbour gave them.
Halloween I hate it.
I'm with you on this one, and I am English. It sounds great the way it is done in Scotland would love to see it done the traditional way.
How else are you meant to slag off Americans?
Also I wouldn't be too quick to complain about the American way of doing it. It evolved differently over here because it combined Halloween and the Day of the Dead festival.
The one with the gypsy lady selling pegs door to door, then putting a curse on you if you don't buy any? Old Peggy Ann, eh?
Rarely are we bothered!
Clearly Peggy Ann knows how to get from a to b, good old routes...
No the rule is if the person has their front lights on you can go to their houses. If their lights are off then you can't. (Atleast in Texas it is)
The times we haven't decorated we just kept our lights on and the kids came around for candy and we gave it out.
I grew up in Scotland and did guising. You dress up, go round the houses and perform for your treats. I have some wonderful childhood memories of doing that.
Thank you (and Fieldfare), I was trying to remember what the old tradition was. Trick AND Treat, maybe a bit like Christmas carolling.
Not anywhere that I've seen it isn't. You have to remember as well that it's not just Halloween but Día de los Muertos too. The two are very intermingled.
You aren't asking a DS audience to understand integration, are you?
Good point!
You heard wrong.
anything for a fix.. lol
Same question, and do non-Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead?
I mean trick or treating AND halloween.
The day of the dead reference is to why Halloween in America AND trick or treating is not the same as it is the UK (which seems to be greatly upsetting some people).
When you get the chance you might wish to check out Festivals at Eid, the Notting Hill & other Carnivals and Diwali, the Festival of Light, in any of the UK's multicultural cities. Obviously that's once Halloween is out of the way.
In Colorado Springs the USAF academy chapel is as you can see a wonderful building. Sometimes they give visitors a tour. Your guide will proudly show you the different parts of the building dedicated to the different faiths of the world (or anyway the world of the USAF). When you ask him where the place of worship is for Muslims (representing 1/5 of the world population) he will make some polite apology and admit that there isn't one. Looking at the above link it turns out there isn't one for Hindus either (1/7 of the world population).
Maybe it's because i stand at the front window(with the light on) in my exceptionally large Y fronts?.;):D
:mad: In some places the old folk are terrorised by yobos extorting money from them.
In my experience hardly anyone goes trick or treating any more, I'd read that it was similar in the States.
I'm bound to say the rosy view of Scottish 'guising' which posters have mentioned it turns out wasn't entirely rosy, sometimes it was just a cover for begging: Glasgow Herald 1929
That's wrong. Planety of kids around here go trick or treating. I'm in Texas btw.