As the eerie glow of jack-o’-lanterns begins to fill the streets, we’re reminded that Halloween is upon us. Spooky season lovers are currently taking part in age-old traditions such as carving pumpkins, donning costumes, and apple bobbing.
But did you know many of these time-honoured practices originated in Scotland? Indeed, Halloween traces its roots back to Celtic times, particularly the ancient festival known as Samhain, which translates to “summer’s end”.
This pivotal event marked the transition into winter and “symbolised the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead,” as noted by Historic UK.
From guising to turnip carving, Scottish Halloween customs have left their mark globally. Yet, there are some that might be unfamiliar to many.
The National Trust for Scotland has compiled a list of six Scottish Halloween traditions that might surprise you.
1. Guising
The tradition of children dressing up in frightening costumes and knocking on doors for sweet rewards can be traced back to Scotland. Scottish kids would go “guising” in their local areas while clad in spooky attire.
They believed that by masquerading as malevolent spirits, they could avoid being noticed by other harmful ghosts that roamed freely. In exchange for performing tricks or songs, guisers were given offerings to protect against evil forces.
Nowadays, the practice has evolved into trick-or-treating, where children receive “treats” just for their presence at night.
2. Nut burning
A once-common Halloween tradition among recently engaged couples involved each person placing a nut in a fire. The outcome would determine if the couple would have a harmonious marriage.
If the nuts burned quietly, the couple would live happily ever after. However, if they made hissing and crackling noises, a turbulent future lay ahead.
3. Apple dookin’
This ancient Celtic tradition, also known as bobbing for apples, remains a firm favourite at Halloween parties to this day.
Participants must grab an apple from a basin of water using only their teeth. Those with strong jaws usually emerge victorious, as they can take a decisive bite.
4. Treacle scones
In this messy game, players are challenged to take bites out of sticky treacle-covered scones suspended from a string, all without using their hands.
5. Neep lanterns
In days gone by, huge bonfires were lit to ward off malevolent spirits. In a similar vein, the Scots would carve menacing faces into neeps, or turnips, turning them into lanterns that would repel ghouls.
However, with the influence of America, this custom has evolved into pumpkin carving, which is now as widespread as turnips in Scotland – and significantly easier to carve.
6. Kale pulling
This robust green vegetable has become a fashionable menu item, but in the past, kale stalks were used to predict one’s romantic future. In his 1858 poem “Halloween”, renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns describes how people would pull stalks from the ground after dark with their eyes closed.
The length and shape of the stalk were believed to symbolise your future lover’s height and figure, while the amount of soil around the roots indicated wealth.
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