h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Once again I get a chance to harp on about how things are better here in Scotland.
Due to Hallowe'en not being an actual holiday here, people tend to wait for the weekend before dressing up. Particularly in Ayrshire (South West Coast, where Robert Burns comes from) the Friday nearest the 31st is called Hallowe'en. At that point all the weans (young children) get dressed up and go guising (from Disguise, presumably). This involves ringing peoples doorbells and asking "Ur youse huvin' Hallowe'en?" (Would you kind people be willing to supply us with some sugared goods, in return for a little performance, naturally). The householder, at this stage, is perfectly within his rights to say No, without fear of punishment.
However, should they say yes, the weans will enter the house. They are then expected to perform. It can be a poem, song, whatever. After performing their party piece, they are then supplied with a few sweets, monkey nuts or apples and sent on their way.

I always preferred this over (what we hear of) the American tradition of sweets for threats.

Well said! :o)
Yet again we Scots show a nice way to do things.

Taht's because we are nice people. And I'll batter the lugs of anyone who says otherwise.

Bugger, can't spell that, how embarrasing.

It used to be 'trick or treat' in it's literal form. For the most part now in America it works this way.

First off, parents will opt for three trick or treating options. IF they are familiar with their own neighborhood (not that common a practice in America curiously enough) and trust their neighbors, they will allow their children to trick or treat but only near their own house. Like a couple city blocks equivalent.

If they don't know their own neighborhood, or know not to trust it, they'll pack the kids in the van, drive to a higher class neighborhood, and try to blend in. The third option is to limit the Halloween festivities to a church or community center party of some sort, and have no literal trick or treating at all. These parties often include a makeshift kind of trick or treat where kids can go to certain places in the building and recieve candy, but it's just not the same.

IF a kid can still go trick or treating in America, he is probably supervised directly by his parents. This takes out a lot of the fun that I remember about Halloween night. My parents were always nearby, but I didn't feel they were literally on top of me.

The procedure is something like this. Only houses with porch lights on are okay to go to. If there's no porch light, the adults in there aren't 'playing.' You go up to a house with a porchlight on. You knock on the door. If that don't work you ring on the bell. If neither of those work you go on to the next house. There's no tricking involved, even though someone who leaves their porchlight on Halloween evening but chooses not to be at home with candy well darn it they're just asking for it.

If you get a house that's participating, they open the door and smile at the kid. The kid may say 'trick or treat' or may just stick the bag out there. The adult puts stuff in the bag. The kid may say a quick 'thank you' and run off to the next house.

There's no 'performance' involved. These kids could do little more than recite the names of the Power Rangers anyway. So I agree, Scotland has it better. Trick or treating is all but a lost art in America.

Okay, you are a munchkin. Odd thing to ask me to call you, but, hey, whatever melts your butter.

And what's this about Halloween being celebrated on the nearest Friday to the 31st? No way! Well, maybe in Ayrshire, but certainly not in Dumfriesshire or Lanarkshire. Anyone else in Scotland got a local take on this?

Having said that, whenever it is celebrated, lets try to keep it as Halloween with Guisers, not some sort of bizarre preteen terrorist threat fest masquerading as "Trick or Treat".