What Night Is Halloween?

[smurfchops]

Will people be knocking on doors Trick or Treating, on Saturday night , or will it be Monday 31st? Just need to know so I can turn all the lights off and pretend I am out.

[Lunol]

Do people have their houses egged? Well that's not good. Doesn't that fall under criminal damage laws?

[Buenchico]

>>> This is an American import brought over in the last 20 years

'Guising' was around in the UK well before 'trick or treating' in the USA though:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating#Guising

[mazie]

Guising is what the kids do up here in Scotland Chris.

[Buenchico]

>>> Do people have their houses egged?

It was common around here about 15 years ago but I'm unaware of it happening at all within the past decade or so. We just get loads of kids, supervised by adults, going from door to door. (At least that's all I've ever seen as I dash off down to the pub to get away from them!)

[pastafreak]

I see no reason why I should fill kids with sugar and other junk.
So I keep my lights off.

[smurfchops]

Lunoll .. What makes you think I am joking? I will not be opening my door to strangers, in this day and age, with scary masks on.. The lights will be off and the chain on the door!!

[jourdain2]

Monday, I assume. I never keep sweets in and always inform door-knockers that I do not subscribe to imported, American, habits. Worked for nearly 20 years so far.

[mazie]

Fortunately I live in the middle of fields. This is my first Halloween in the house but I'm betting we don't get any callers. I think I might miss it!

[jourdain2]

Guising' and 'Mischief night' were different to the current 'Hallowe'en'.

[mazie]

How jourdain? The kids and grandkids have been in Scotland for about 6 years and everyone has been great when they go out guising, that's the grandkids, not the big un's

[Lunol]

"What makes you think I am joking? I will not be opening my door to strangers, in this day and age"

Not opening the door is one thing but turning off lights, tv and shuddering in the dark is a bit extreme as I've read some do. I wonder why inconvinience yourself like that? Do people do this when salesmen and religios knockers too?

If I didn't want to open the door I just wouldn't even if I had the curtains open and was in full view I'd just shout "Sorry I don't want to buy anything, I'm happy with my religion thanks, sorry I don't like halloween"

Honesty surely is the best policy?

[mazie]

Well I think it's a fun night for the little kids and always had something ready to give them...and it wasn't a water cannon or a miserable face. I'm going to miss it this year

[jourdain2]

Well, mazie, I'm a bit hazy about guising (relying on my late mum's tales) but it sounded very much like our 'Mischief Night' and that involved getting very cold and going around in a group and one of you was picked to sneak up to a house and ring a door-bell before fleeing and hiding behind a wall to watch with glee if someone answered the door. I only did it once. Mum did keep us busy in the days before by giving us each a swede and a potato peeler and leaving us to make lanterns out of them. It was hard work, but out bandaged fingers did eventually light candles in them and position them on the gateposts!

[mazie]

Sounds a bit more fun now than it did then Jourdain....:o) Anyway hope you enjoy the night xx

[smurfchops]

Hi lunol, my lounge and kitchen are at the back of the house so I wont be in the dark !! And no one can see this from the front ..

[Lunol]

Lol, then It's the perfect crime smurfchops