Halloween is Historically Scottish and Irish

You might think of Halloween as a very American import to the UK and the rest of the world - trick of treating, dressing up,telling spooky stories. But it actually has its origins in Scotland and Ireland. 'Hallowe'en' is an old Scots word for all Hallows eve, a Christian holy day with its origins in the earlier pagan Samhain. On Hallowe'en, Scottish and Irish people would dress up in spooky masks and costumes to scare away evil spirits, carve turnip lanterns and go 'guising' (in 'disguise') to collect food and drink from neighbours. Robert Burns even wrote a poem called 'Halloween' in 1785! Even today, trick or treating is known as 'guising' in Scotland, Ireland, and some parts of Northern England!