LL-L "Traditions" 2004.10.26 (09) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 26.OCT.2004 (09) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at scotstext.org>
Subject: "Traditions" [E]

> From: Thomas <t.mcrae at uq.net.au>
> Subject: FOLKLORE Halloween Customs in Scotland
>
> I think back to 1930's days before WW2 when I can recall Halloween
Pairties
> my parents and their friends organised each year. I was under five but the
> memories are still there.

Thanks to my parents, I was the kid in our village with the big Halloween
party!

> Unlike Hogmanay here was never much booze at those gatherings and
> traditional games were played. Mashed potatoes were served all round with
> little charms mixed in with the mash and a few lucky silver threepenny
bits.

We didn't have this mashed potato thing.

> A right messy game the adults played was The Treakul Skoan. A huge flat
> scone dripping with black treacle was suspended by one edge from a string
> attached to the light fitting. Players vied with one another to get a bite
> off the scone while keeping their hands behind their backs, the fact that
> another string was pulled to keep the scone moving did not help. I still
> recall all those black faces. Of course an old sheet was placed on the
floor
> for obvious reasons.

This sounds exactly like the treacke scones at my party. Treacle scones are
actually baked with treacle, but at Halloween treacle was also spread on
them - both sides! - for extra messiness. A string was tied across the room
like a washing line and the treacle scones hung from using more string, so
everything was very jiggly and messy.

> Dookin fur aipples was another fun thing. A tin bath of water was set on
the
> sheet and apples and nuts were set afloat in it. Participants had to
kneel,
> hands ahint again and try catching fruit or nut with their teeth. this got
> quite boisterous with some men pushing players heads under the water.
> The game was altered for us wee yins. A chair was set up by the bath and
> we'd take turns standing on this dropping a fork down trying to spear an
> apple.

Exactly the same! There was always a nutcracker and hammer on the grate for
cracking the nuts.

> With a bit of luck The Guysers would knock on the door, be admitted, and
> entertain us with songs and recitations. Their reward was some coins and
> seasonal fruits and cakes. Some years passed, war broke out, and the men
> were all away. The pairties soon faded away as well but Guysing persisted

Oh no - my parties were in the 60's so well after the war. This was all
considered very usual.

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

==============================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================