quicken Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o'-lantern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyblue Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I think halloween is based on Burns Tam @O' Shanter but certainly Turnips were the order of the day and they made good heads for a guy. The pumpkin is a typical example of American and the media interference in a traditional occasion. a bit like old lang syne and singing it with a z bah!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagel Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o'-lantern The Irish turnip lantern from the Wikipedia page is proper scary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Halloween parties were all about apples too. You'd go out on the street with your turnip lantern and a plastic mask, then it would be round to someone's house for games of apple bobbing (trying to eat them floating in a basin filled with water) or eating apples hunkg on strings, plus lots of treacle toffee. We never did trick or treating. There was something called Mischief Night the day before Halloween when all the local kids would cause general mischief in the area. Removing gates from their posts was a favourite as was tying cotton to someone's door knocker and pulling on it whilst hid across the road Mischief night was another name for Hallowe'en or All Hallows Eve - different names, same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Okay, so many people did, - 2nd question I have been asked to ask for those of you who remember making Swede Lanterns is do you have Scottish or Irish roots/heritage...? Turnip, not a swede! Yes, I have Scottish ancestry. I also come from a town in the north-east with quite a high percentage of Irish immigrants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 This has made me smile because my friend who is from down south, always tells me that turnips are the little white ones, but the ones I have always called turnips and what I used to have for halloween when I was young, she says are called swedes. I'm with you! The Hairy Bikers had a big debate about this when we went to see their live show at the City Hall last year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyme Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I remember doing this, a right bugger to scoop out compared to a luxurious pumpkin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Macbeth Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 In Scotland it was turnips all the way! I realised later they were swedes, but we always called them turnips. My grandchildren have pumpkins now, they have great fun making faces on them and I agree they are much easier to carve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I remember doing this, a right bugger to scoop out compared to a luxurious pumpkin. Oh wasn't it just? My hands used to hurt for days afterwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagel Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Mischief night was another name for Hallowe'en or All Hallows Eve - different names, same thing. No it wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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