to defend Hallowe'en

[antoinettechigur]

Why do people keep referring to Hallowe'en as an "imported tradition" or saying it is American?

I have always understood Hallowe'en to be a Scottish festival, though we have turnips and guising rather than pumpkins and trick or treating.

I know this to be true. My Nana talked about going out guising, it is not a new thing.

I don't think YABU, although I suppose the cheap plastic tat is a bit of an American import. I don't care, I love it either way!

YANBU but technically its a Pagan Holiday called Samhain

I love Halloween. I have always celebrated it. Americans just do it bigger and brasher (surprise!) and I think thats why people think it is an import.

We had turnips too! Think its a Scottish/Northern thing?

Isn't it great?

Thanks Pagans.

I could never give up using turnips BUT I hear pumpkins are easier to carve. Turnips look more sinister though. [hgrin]

I've changed to pumpkin this year and it's sooooooooo much easier. And I've got all my fingers [hgrin].

I shall be making pumpkin soup for the first time this year! YANBU. It's a giggle in these moany times we are having.

Completely agree and so does my cat. She's sitting on the windowsil next to the pumpkin, making me look very witchy [hgrin].

I reckon it's a celtic thing. I grew up with Hallowe'en in Scotland as well. Turnips (flippin' hard to carve) and guising (wasn't allowed - mum didn't approve!).

I'm guessing the Scots and Irish took it over to America with them. DH confirms that it was not a big thing in the south of England when he was growing up at the same time as me.

Personally, I hold ET responsible for bringing it back over here in it's current, polluted, pumpkins and trick-or-treating form.

We used to use big swedes. That was bloody hard work.

I love halloween, its still a big thing in Ireland (I miss it here!) There is a good Wicki about the origins for anybody who'd like a read.
We will do apple bobbing and a treat hunt in the garden with torches (kind of easter egg hunt but wiih choc pumpkins in the dark)

Madam, did you need to turn this into an argument? Its not a stereotype. It was a question. I am Northern and had not heard of turnips used in other parts of the country. Sorry if you feel the need to be so frickin argumentative and smart arsey. This was a nice thread about the joy of Halloween.....

antionette, there is something very sinister about a grimacing turnip! But you are right, damn hard to carve. I still remember the pain! [hgrin]

I was saying Americans do Halloween bigger than elsewhere. Is that not true?

I am fairly certain I did not imply ALL Americans to be brash? I implied that America as a culture celebrates holidays in a bigger and more commercial manner.

Pumpkins are definately easier to carve than turnips. We used to put a string handle on them and go guising. None of this trick or treat business. You'd knock on the door, get invited into the front room and do your 'party piece'. After much umming and ahhing, you would get your 'reward' of a handful of sweets, monkey nuts and sometimes 5ps.

Ahhhhh happy days. None of this demanding goodies with menaces.

They do have bigger and better celebrations in the States. My sis is out there and the parties aren't just for the kids like is it here.

YANBU. I love Halloween. I have just finished carving three pumpkins (much easier than the turnips I had as a child) for the family party at my uncle's tomorrow.

I can't wait.[hgrin]

Oh. I saw the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode with the trick or treaters! Very funny.

yanbu I love it love it love it. We have had soo much fun these last few days carving pumpkins, making honeycomb and going to various parties dressed like fools

I am Irish and we always celebrated Halloween. Very much a Celtic festival exportedto America and now Re-imported.

When I was a child we had Kale and mashed potatoes for dinner , followed by Barm Brack (fruit cake) and then dressed up and went knocking on doors. We said 'Help the Halloween Party' and were given apples, nuts, bits of coconut and the very occasional sweet. I even remember getting 5p once! Bit I am old!

YANBU at all [hgrin] Bored of all the complaining about it on here recently.