What's your Halloween plan for your kilt?

[Peter Crowe]

In the UK we didn't celebrate Halloween until recently (over the last 30 years) mostly I think because of the influence of American children's films and UK Shops seeing Halloween as a way to make money.

Traditionally we celebrated Burning Guido Fawkes on November the 5th, something that is slowly disappearing as it is seen as Not PC, expensive for the fireworks that go with it, and in major cities Bonfires are banned due to smoke regulations.
For those who don't know Guido Fawkes AKA Guy Fawkes was one of the conspirators in a plot to blow up the houses of parliament, at the state opening by King James I, (VI of Scotland) 1605

Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.

I'll add my on Saturday I'll attend My summer sailing clubs end of season, annual dinner and prize giving, fully kilted (its a suit and tie dinner), I will not be kilted at the winter sailing clubs Halloween dinner.

This is probably true of England but not the whole of the UK. 'Hallowe'en' (the name comes from the Scots tongue) was long celebrated in Scotland although it started falling out of fashion during my childhood in the 1970's. The Scots traditions I grew up with included turnip lanterns rather than pumpkins and 'guising' around the neighbourhood (similar to what Americans call trick-er treating the difference being you had to sing a song/tell a story or Joke in order to get treats which included peanuts in the shell and mandarin oranges as well as candies), dookin for aipples (dunking for apples), and eating treacle covered soda scones off a washing line etc. Admittedly, my parents were traditional about such older customs and kept them longer than most. We also observed the traditional Scots form of New Year and never touched a drop of alcohol on Hogmonay which was a day of preparation for the Bells when we saw in the New Year with our favourite alcoholic beverage, and thereafter with first-footing and partying in our neighbourhood.

Hallowe'en was primarily a night for children dressing up in fancy dress costumes (occasionally adults who were the parents and grandparents of younger children too) and not an evening I ever associated with wearing the kilt.

Guy Fawkes has become popular in urban Scotland because older kids love fireworks. When I lived in Glasgow's Maryhill it was a terrifying night for elderly folk and domestic pets. The Neds (Chavs) loved it and ran amok being a pain in the ar*e to everyone particularly the Fire Brigade and the Police. However, it is not a traditional Scots celebration and only became popularised from down south with the widespread use of television from the 1950's and 60's.