Guising Memories?

[Idontpostmuch]

Would like to hear about your memories of guising. Even now I get nostalgic at this time of year. I remember how excitement grew as 31st approached. Hallowe'en parties were OK but secondary to the main event. We planned our costumes and practised our songs. As soon as night fell there were throngs of guisers to be seen everywhere. Householders gave much of their evening. As one group exited another took its place. Everyone was prepared with all sorts of treats to reward us for entertaining them. Generous with time and money, they listened patiently, and poured fruit, confectionary and sometimes coins into our bags. Sometimes toffee apples, tablet and slices of cake appeared. It took ages to get round every house, and 9.00pm was generally thought to be the latest we could knock on doors. When supplies ran out, people were inventive, and wrapped biscuits in foil, and somebody once opened a box of chocolates and wrapped them in twos in clingfilm. A truly magical evening at the time. Looking back, I can see it was an example of community spirit at its best as well as being a true celebration of such an ancient celtic ritual.

Ah yes, pieces meant sandwiches I seem to remember from my time in Scotland? I remember being baffled at my uni boyfriend's mum telling him off for rummaging through her messages (shopping) as soon as she walked in the door!

We had a biscuit or crisps for our play piece. My dad took a fried egg in a softie for his in the 30s which was stone cold by playtime but as he was brought up on a farm he ate everything.

So much changed since the days when play pieces meant sweets. When I was early secondary school, a nice teacher bought us all cans of coke during a field trip. A generous gesture like that would incite horror now. Drinks like these aren't allowed in school vending machines now.

I was talking to some of my kids yesterday about Halloween when I was a kid, then we got on to school dinners. I remember the excitement when the can vending machine were installed in the dining hall. It was the same week the dinner hall became a "cafe". My dinner ticket covered two cartons of chips and a pizza slice. My mate would use her dinner money to buy two cans of Irn Bru from the vending machine and a burger. Then we'd trade one chips for one can and both have a full meal. The only exception was the day the pudding was sticky toffee pudding - that day we'd share one chips and one pudding.

The first McDonalds anywhere near us (I lived very remote) opened when I was in S5 and one of our teachers took us to it for lunch while we're on a museum trip. It was an official part of the trip - the note home even said "Museum & McDonalds trip".

I remember the year my mum made my costume from a black bin bag with some circles of sandshoe whitening on it. I was a domino🤣. Another year, I had one of my papa's old tank tops and suit jackets with a hat on and eyeliner freckles. I was one of the Diddy Men.
No shop bought costumes in the 60s and 70s. We used to all do a turn. I would tap dance, my sister would play her cornet. It was all hilarious.
We used to get over 100 kids on Hallowe'en. Now we get none at all. No one round here goes guising any more. Parents seem to think it's not safe and the thought of the sweets causes horror. It's such a shame.

Yes we used to talk about a piece and cheese for a cheese sandwich, a piece and ham, or a piece and jam. Also we could have pan or plain bread. Pan is what I think of as normal. Plain is horrible. Dry with hard crust and a funny shape. Don't know if you can still get it. A play piece was something we took to school to eat at playtime in the playground. Messages, we always talked about getting the messages, meaning food shopping.

Sandshoe whitening was used for so many things. My mum used to put it on twigs to make it look like snow for Xmas decorations. A domino costume, I love it! Yes, so much of what we did would be thought unsafe now.

Pieces and 'roll and...' cause much debate in this house.

I say pieces and also 'roll and ham' or 'roll and sausage'. Kids say sandwiches and 'ham roll' but then get irritated when I point out that 'sausage roll' doesn't work as that's an entirely different thing therefore my way is better clearer 😂

I never liked plain loaf. Pan was always considered superior.
If we thought somebody was trying to speak posh we'd say "Oh listen to her speaking pan loaf"

Haha Pan Loaf accent. I hadn't heard that before. My sister always used to buy plain bread. Dreaded her sandwiches.

This has given me a right flashback. AHH I want to visit again so badly. Feeling all nostalgic for my Scotland years now.

Oh yes I remember guising in Glasgow, late 70s.

The sky is blue the grass is green please can you give us your Halloween!

we did a poem, joke or sing a wee song in return for some monkey nuts, tangerines, a mini mars bar & often 10p.

costumes were v homemade & basic, sometimes just a white sheet made into a ghost outfit, once a bunch of grapes made out of purple balloons.

Good days, we went out on our own (aged 5-10) and only went to neighbours with kids.