History - A traditional Scottish Halloween Photo by VisitScotland
A traditional Scottish Halloween Halloween will soon be upon us, with all its ghostly tales, superstitions, tricks and treats.
by Tracey Macintosh
T
he nights are drawing in, the shadows are getting longer and veil between this world and the next is growing increasingly thin.
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While this annual festival of fun and fright is celebrated throughout the world - and is now big business for purveyors of colourful costumes, suppliers of spooky home dĂŠcor and even pumpkin farmers - few people realise many of its origins can be traced back to Scotland. The name, Halloween, is a contraction of All Hallows Eve, so called as it is the night before the Christian festival of All Hallows
or All Saints Day on 1 November, which is followed by All Souls Day on 2 November, (also known as the Day of the Dead in Mexico). It is a time of year to remember and honour deceased relatives and ancestors, and in many cultures it is customary to set an extra place for dinner for those no longer with us. Halloween seems to have overtaken All Saints and All Souls Day in popularity in the UK, the USA Canada and further afield. Historically the celebration started as the final harvest festival of the
