Do many Scottish people dislike guising (Scottish trick or treating essentially)

[TwitTw00]

Trick or treating seems so contentious, MN anyway, in England yet pretty much the same thing has happened in Scotland for decades. Growing up I don't think I knew anyone who didn't go out guising. Children go from house to house dressed up. They do a turn (wee Halloween themed joke or song usually) and they get sweets, monkey nuts etc in return. Where I am, you only go to houses with a pumpkin out and these are generally neighbours you know anyway with children of their own. It always seemed pleasant enough to me but are there many Scottish folk who actually really don't like guising? Who disagree with it in principle? Or because there can't be accusations of Americanisation, which seems to be one of the biggest criticisms of trick or treating, is it okay?

Yes its fine, we live rurally though so didn't get anyone this year at all!

I’m Scottish and always went out on halloween as a kid and had countless kids at my door tonight. I’ve never called it guising to, always “trick or treating”

We don't do it, probably mostly because our parents didn't either so it just wasn't a thing for us.

It is very popular in our housing estate but it is guising, not trick or treat, kids only go to decorated houses and they are expected to do a turn. There are usually of messages on fb the day after thanking those that decorated houses etc.

I'm Scottish and I loved going trick or treating as a child. Lots of happy memories and what seemed like endless sweets and monkey nuts. Everyone I know did it and people seemed happy to give something to trick or treaters. I quite like having trick or treaters at the door, although the number has reduced in the last 5 years.

I do see why it would be a pain for people with disabilities, frail elderly or people with small children in bed when the door knocks all the time. I'm not sure if I'll take my child out when she's old enough. It seems different now somehow.

Where are you from? We are near Edinburgh. I imagine it's different in different areas, though I've seen quite a few references on MN to guising too (possibly other Edinburgh folk though!).

We had guisers tonight and our DC went out. The Brownies and Cubs did the dookin' for apples, treacle's scones, etc. We carved neeps for lanterns. We read Tumshie for our bedtime story.

Happy Hallowe'en from Perthshire!

I used to love dookin for apples at Brownies! Had totally forgotten about it until you mentioned it.

I grew up in Glasgow in the 90s and guising was ubiquitous around us. Everyone at school did it. It was all tenements around us but you would go to a block where you knew someone and get buzzed in and then visit the flats. You would always have a party piece/turn. And yes to the monkey nuts! I was just telling my English DH about that earlier.

I'm in NE Scotland now and it's still very common and 95% of the kids have a joke. One kid tonight played the violin!

NE Scotland and it's very popular here.

Our village all the kids were out and in the local town in the housing estates you get millions of kids out and houses dressed up.

Central Scotland, and loads of guisers here! I really love seeing the costumes and hearing the jokes.

And it's very obvious around us who is inviting visitors or not from the decorations, outside lights on, etc. I didn't see anyone approach unlit or decorated houses while we were out, but there was a steady stream at our decorated and lit-up home, much to my DD's delight!

I'm from Glasgow - never went guiding as a child. Just ducked for apples at home and wore a 'false face' as we called them.

Ive lived in Scotland and England, towns, cities and villages - everywhere is different. However - I think 'trick or treating' is a serious PITA and should only happen if people 'invite' kids by putting out lit lanterns etc. I really don't want to answer my door every 5 minutes to random kids. I've known of elderly neighbours who were disabled and simply could not get to the door, yet had to suffer the non stop door rattling.
Anyway - to get round it, we always to go the pub!

Glasgow here and guising is very popular. My kids loved it and we seen wee toaties dressed as pumpkins out clutching mum's hand, so cute.
Dont recognise a lot of the nonsense posts from down sarf about guising like its the devils work.

I dont remember going out guising either @StoneofDestiny , i remember dookin for apples and the plastic masks. Maybe i didn't go out but certainly my kids did.

I'm in Scotland, I was dragged out as a kid to go guising and I hated it. Its not something that's done in my culture (fathers side) but my mother just used it as another thing to piss him off.

I have a personal reason for hating this date too so I always sit in my house, lights off, no indication I do anything for Halloween at all. Still always get multiple knocks on the door and even the odd person looking and shouting through the letterbox.

I'm glad it's over.

Aye guising where I am (central Scotland) I have had a steady stream of wee kids all dressed up, parents at the gate. I remember dookin for apples and treacle scones. I love it.

Ahh I forgot about the money nuts! Why don’t we do that any more? Allergies?

Guising here too, (Stirlingshire) and I’m from up north and went round the neighbours and friends parents. Went to the obviously dressed up houses, my son loved it was good fun and he uses the same joke

I’m Scottish and always went trick or treating/guising and now my kids do

Always went guising as a child and we had lots of wee guisers round tonight. They only go to houses they know or have pumpkin or decorations out.
West Lothian

Monkey nuts are given out here (sw Scotland)

DS and I are both allergic, and this year DD age 5 announced it at every door that her brother can’t have those so just sweets for him please. DS looked quite embarrassed as he’s pretty capable of just quietly avoiding them, or we give them to my dad.

Went guising as a child outside Glasgow and took the DCs here in Midlothian. Had the teenage DSs on door duty tonight though!

From NE Scotland and live near Glasgow. Guising was big when I was a kid and definitely big here too. Only to decorated houses and party pieces essential. We had 60+ this year and every single kid had a joke or another turn. One group did a cheerleading pyramid thing! All good fun, lots of adults escorting wee ones and having a nice chat in the street. V similar to my childhood.

We were never allowed to go guising my mum called it glorified begging. Guisers at the door would have been ignored, even now she’d be horrified if guisers dared to chap her door.

The sky is blue
The grass is green
Gie's a penny for our Halloween
If ye havnae got a penny
A ha'penny will do
If ye havnae got a ha'penny
We'll pit year windaes through