Halloween in Scotland

The history of Halloween in Scotland begins with the ancient Celtic religious celebration of Samhain (summer's end), which highlighted the end of the "light" and beginning of the "dark." In other words, it celebrated the beginning of winter and the end of autumn.
          In the past, in order to celebrate Halloween, the people would carve faces into turnips or "neeps" rather than pumpkins. However, nowadays, in Scotland there are many different games that are played at Halloween. For example, trick or treating or, as is called in Scotland "guising", is very popular. Children dress up as ghosts, witches, vampires and monsters and then knock on people´s doors to ask for sweets. The children have to, for example, tell a joke or perform a magic trick in order to get the sweets.

         Another Halloween game for children is "dooking fur aples" or ducking for apples. This involves children having to get an apple out of a basin of water, without using their hands.Everybody gets very VERY wet playing this game. Also there is "hanging fae a poolie" which is crepes hanging from a string, covered in treacle or chocolate sauce and the children have to eat the crepes, again without using their hands. The person who eats the most crepes, wins! This again is a ridiculously messy game!