To satisfy my cravings for a good guising, my parents would take me to visit each of our relatives on the day but never anything more. And I wasn’t alone… In fact, the only real trick-or-treaters were often teenage boys wearing a cheap Scream mask who could barely muster the energy to do more than shove a loot bag under your nose. One year, when I was well past the age of hiding on my grandparents driveway as they feigned surprise as I jumped out from behind their car in my usual Witch costume, my parents refused to get involved at all and once it became clear that we were simply ignoring the doorbell, the house was egged.
Discussions with other English mums reveal that my experiences are fairly normal all around the country. Trick-or-treating from anything other than stream of Scream masks is relatively rare, a far cry from the colourful, happy-go-lucky festivities we often see in American films. I had almost written the entire holiday off as just “an American thing” before I moved up to Scotland with my partner and two young girls. In Scotland, guising is actually quite a big celebration! Growing up in Scotland, my partner’s experiences could not be further from my own. They had parties, went out guising every year and prepared little tricks, poems or performances for the people who were “taking” Halloween. Taking Halloween in this country simply means you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters and have goodies for them and you let people know this by decorating the front of your house in some way and leaving a pumpkin on your doorstep.
When we first moved up here, our eldest daughter was not quite two so we threw a little Halloween party for her toddler friends and watched her delighted face as children called by the house in all manner of wonderful costumes. I will never forget her joy at handing the children sweeties and watching them come and go. Last year, when she was almost 3, we threw another party and decided to take her out guising in her beloved supergirl costume along with her newborn sister. She didn’t have any performance to offer, but the people on our street were warm, welcoming and she had a magical time guising alongside the neighbourhood children. We must have gotten to know more of our neighbours in one hour than we had in the year we had been living here. This year we are planning another party followed by taking the two girls out guising and I have to say… I’m really excited about it. Thanks to last year, we know so many people living here that I’m looking forward to the community feel of the experience more – along with seeing my eldest guising with her friends. In years to come, I am sure she will enjoy going without her parents but for now I am going to be making the most of it by fully immersing myself in the festivities. I’ll be the only mum who dresses up!
Though many parents will have safety concerns or don’t wish to impose upon neighbours, England could learn a lot from Scotland. Here, children only guise in their own neighbourhood and people make it clear whether they’re taking Halloween or not. It’s a community centred holiday and celebrating children is right at the heart of it. Teenage boys in Scream masks are less the cause of the bah-humbug attitude to guising in many parts of England than they are the product of it. And whilst I can’t excuse the disgusting amount of sweets, cakes and chocolates the children may inevitably wind up consuming for those of you who avoid them, I will say this… secretly, the spirit of Halloween is in you too. However you choose to celebrate, embrace the magic and get involved!
