Halloween and Guy Fawkes

How do the Scots do Halloween? Basically the same as Americans, just not as much. It is originally Celtic, after all. The year started and ended right around now, and just as the barrier between the year was being broken, other barriers, including between this world and the other world, were too. So you dressed in your neighbors clothes to disguise yourself from the evil spirits and witches and pixies and brownies and whatnot, and carved turnips into scary faced lanterns to protect your house. This was exported to Canada and eventually the US, Trick-or-Treating developed, and it was re-imported into Scotland, under the name 'guising.' (Though people more and more talk about Trick-or-Treating.)

Those who are too old to do that also celebrate the same way in Scotland as in the US - fancy dress (i.e. costume) parties! I went as an English Imperialist.

 The only spectacular costumes I saw were Sweeny Todd and Mrs. Lovett, very well done.


Then the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes Day / Bonfire Night. Traditionally it's bigger than Halloween; Halloween is when children used to make effigies for Bonfire Night. The story is that Queen Elizabeth I died, with no heir, so through the laws of succession King James VI of Scotland became James I of England as well. James was Protestant (as was Elizabeth and legally England), so a militant Catholic named Guy Fawkes, who had some really awesome facial hair, tried to blow up Parliament on November 5th - the Gunpowder Plot. He was foiled, and the British ever since have celebrated his failure by burning him in effigy, lighting bonfires, and shooting off tons of fireworks.

The official celebration was on the Glasgow Green, a large city park, basically a lawn. It seemed like the whole city was there. There were carnival rides and music, then there was an excellent fireworks show, then everyone left, most headed to the bars and pubs. Good stuff.


A report on my Highland Adventure is coming soon, and I'm off to Paris this week, so an account of that will come shortly as well!