Posted by Maris on 31st Oct 2023
6 Scottish Halloween Traditions
Halloween derives from a Scottish abbreviation of All Hallows' Eve and has its origins in the Gaelic holiday of Samhain. Here are six Scottish Halloween traditions that you may not be aware of.
Neep lanterns
Historically, communities would light massive bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Scary faces were carved into neeps (turnips) in true Scottish custom to construct lanterns that would scare off ghouls prowling in the witching hours. Pumpkins, thanks to American influence, are now as prevalent as turnips for lanterns in Scotland - and far easier to carve.
Apple dookin’
This game is an ancient Celtic ritual that is still popular at Halloween festivities. Players must grab an apple floating in a basin of water without using their hands. Isn't it simple? Dunking techniques include spearing apples with a fork held between the teeth or a huge decisive bite for people with powerful gnashers.
Treacle scones
Another exercise in which players are not permitted to use their hands, this messy game requires participants to take bites off of sticky treacle-covered scones dangling from thread. Delicious despite the mess!
Nut burning
Do you want to know if you and your partner will live happily ever after? Putting a nut in a fire was a Halloween practice historically popular among newly engaged couples. The union would be content if the nuts burned quietly. If they hissed and crackedled, however, a turbulent future lay ahead.
Guising
Scottish children used to dress up in costumes and pretend to be evil spirits while they went 'guising' around the neighborhood. It was thought that by disguising themselves, they might blend in with any wandering spirits and avoid damage. Guisers were given presents to help fend off evil after performing tricks or songs - a far cry from today's trick-or-treaters, who get 'treats' for simply showing up in costume.
Three persons dressed in odd Halloween costumes are photographed in black and white. The figure on the left is dressed in a long dark skirt, a wool jacket, and a sheep's face mask. The guy in the center wears a tight leather mask that is knotted over his face. The guy on the right is almost entirely covered by a huge, shaggy fleece and is holding a walking cane. Everyone is standing in a field, with croft cottages visible in the distance.
Kale pulling
This sturdy green vegetable is now a trendy menu item, but kale stalks were originally used to prophesy your love destiny. People in Robert Burns' poem 'Halloween' pick stalks from the ground with their eyes closed after dark. The length and shape of the stalk were thought to reflect the height and figure of your future partner, while the amount of dirt around the roots represented prosperity.