How many people don't know that Halloween is Irish/Scottish in origin?

[pumpkinscake]

Every year I see people on Mumsnet complaining that it's an American thing taking over the UK. But no, we exported it to the US. Doesn't everyone know this? How could you not know this? Clearly people don't know it, but I'm amazed that they don't.

I'm mid 50s from N Ireland. Halloween involved turnip lanterns and apples in various guises- bobbing, hanging off strings, toffee aples, apple tarts with money in it, peeling the apple to see the initial the peel would make. Running around the streets dressed as witches or ghosties with sparklers but no trick or treating. With all the apple stuff it was definitely a hangover from the celebration being at the end of the harvest season.
I remember learning about the mummers - and sometimes at school we would learn their little plays that they took around the houses in my grannys day - when they dressed up in costumes. A bit like guising in Scotland
I sort of presume there would have been something similar in England at some point at the end of the harvest season but that Bonfire night eventually superceded it.

In England there were definitely mummers, but usually it was a Christmas/Epiphany tradition instead (or sometimes Easter). Mumming was part of the development of the pantomime in England, and the gradual replacement of mummers’ plays with the (originally Italian) pantomime play was probably one of the reasons why pantomime became so popular.

I grew up in the 1960s in the West Country. My best friend and I used to celebrate hallowe’en by putting on plays for our long suffering families in my friend’s garden. Our costumes were very simple (sheets) and as well as the plays we also bobbed for apples.

No pumpkins or turnips were involved and there was certainly no plastic tat!

@Talkinpeace We weren’t allowed to beg for money but we made cracking Guys. Imagination and crafting! Dc in our village have a Halloween party because the village cannot afford the firework insurance needed. Halloween is much easier but fireworks are still better - at a display! We saw an amazing one last night. Ascot Racecourse.

I was just reading Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, written in the 60s, and was surprised at how modern the celebration sounded.

Agatha Christie was not reflecting ordinary folk. We did mention Halloween at school at that time, but no one had money for the current over the top fuss and we always prioritised fireworks. I remember a bit of squash carving on the 80s but really it was negligible. Certainly no big parties or celebrations in those days for dc. Adults on the other hand - Angels and Demons was a party theme I recall.

I think ppl mean all the pumpkins , plastic tat and gore is American. Not the traditional stuff about fruitcakes, apples , nuts bonfires and thinking of those who have passed on.

People are talking about the americanisation of Halloween. Meaning the changing to American style of something we already had?

All the same people who will be along in a month or so moaning about the common/American use of Santa Claus and saying that everyone knows that the correct "British" term is Father Christmas.

The ignorant classes.

My mother's hatred for it stemmed from her perception it was a Catholic Thing. As that became less than acceptable to say in public, she changed to the supposedly more acceptable 'terrible American fashion' complaint.

She was therefore very keen on celebrating treacherous Catholics being tortured to death a week later. And making a point of refusing to say the Nicene Creed in church because it said 'one holy catholic' church - she would have punched anybody who pointed out her High Church was actually Anglo-Catholic as I know to my cost.

In short, it's not that they don't know by now - they just don't care. And for some of them, it's because they don't think they can get away with freely expressing anti-catholic sentiment anymore.

Probably the same number who think it’s acceptable to flush tampons down the toilet

This.

Also, it's terrible for the environment with all the plastic tat that is produced for it.

Oh yes. I'm just waiting for that nonsense to rear its head again.

Every year without fail

I only know because it was a question on I think, Pointless this last week

Interesting. I never thought of it that way. I suppose you could class it with Mayday and Christmas traditions the more extreme Protestants tried to suppress because they are of pagan origin. And Catholics were a bit too tolerant of such ' superstitions'? Also stuff like wakes , holy wells and relics etc. These things aren't in the bible so they can't be Christian , at least if you're a Puritan. Certainly American Evangelicals think Halloween is dangerous. And Harry Potter is Satan in disguise!

I grew up in the 60s in rural Scotland. We went guiding, with a hand-carved turnip lantern - often made at school - home made costumes, and 'false faces' (masks). These were originally made of papier mâché and whether that or plastic, were kept from year to year, at least in our house. We had to do a turn at each house in exchange for nuts and sweets (home made tablet if we were lucky!). Nobody decorated their houses, and adults didn't dress up. Happy days.

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June 23rd is the feast of St John the Baptist. Happens to coincide with midsummer, and still celebrated with a bonfire in (some parts of?) France.

I remember being at a bonfire at a crossroads a Lifetime ago on St Johns Day - it was summer anyway.. A farmer picked me up and swung me over the fire! I think it's meant to protect you from diseases and parasites. If you don't fall into the flames. All very Wicker Man now I think about it. But I think the midsummer bonfires are dying out now?

I think 23rd is St John’s Eve, the 24th is the feast day.
There are still bonfires lit in Cork city anyway as far as I know.

I think June 24th is St John's day. OH was born on June 23rd and his mum said if he'd born on the 24th he'd have been called John in honour of the saint. They were very strict RC whereas I'm CofS so we don't observe saints days.

Thanks, @Alicethruthemirror and @RaraRachael , I stand corrected.