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Forgive me while I get a little computer shorty on you all. Up in Scotland in the 80's we didn't do "trick or treat" which to most Scot's is a trashy Americanism adopted by the English after ET came out. Instead we had the ancient celtic tradition of guising.


A longstanding, rather quaint but altogether more civilised alternative to flour and eggs. We'd dress up in costume, carry a carved turnip or "tumshie" lantern (pumpkins???), knock on the door and then entertain with jokes or badly sung songs. If we were any good we'd get some sweets, a few coins or we'd luck out with the best prize of all....a tangerine.


Of course - I can already tell how this will sound when I try to explain it to Ben junior.

Quote: "One custom associated with Halloween in the Western Isles was to put two large nuts in the fire. These were supposed to represent yourself and your intended spouse. If the nuts jumped together when they warmed up then this was deemed to be a good omen, but if they jumped apart then it was time to look for someone else."


Sound advice indeed.

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