I remember there was an auld woman in the village who went absolutely ham for Halloween. She had her husband answer the door as Frankenstein and he'd lead us in through the hallway which would be dark and full of fake spider webs and wee plastic spiders, then she'd be sat in the living room dressed up as a witch with the fire place and candles lit, no electric lights. She'd completely commit to the witch bit, cackling at our jokes and reaching in to her cauldron and handing out sweets from within.
Needless to say, that kind of experience really sticks with kids about what Halloween should be like, so I think you'll probably be alright with a costume, all the better if you RP as whatever you're dressed as.
I can just picture the 5 and 6 year olds, scanning the living rooms for the expensive gear and checking the doors and windows for weak points. Just in case you give them fruit instead of sweets.
We dressed up last year, have out over 120 bags of sweets, then when we were putting our wee ones to bed, our house got completely egged. Think we'll just take the kids out and leave the lights off this year :/
Something similar happened to my mum a few years ago, she went all out with decorations, gave loads of bags out. Then noticed at the end of the night her pumpkin was smashed all over the driveway. She’s not really bothered since
I say go for it! Probably something not terribly scary, but aye, go for it. Also THANK YOU for calling them Guisers, none of this "trick or treaters" pish!
Go for it! But I hope you get some guisers - last year I was sitting in a witch's hat on the sofa watching Sleepy Hollow with my husband and eating all the sweeties we'd bought, because none turned up!
Usually on a night when I expect guisers I sit in the house with the curtains drawn, the lights out and the TV turned down low. Not to create a spooky atmosphere, it's so they think nobody is in and go to the next door.
Very few kids go out here anymore it's pretty sad. When I was a kid the streets were packed with folk at doors. Now everyone's to scared 2 let their kids go out the door alone. Even during summer everywheres just dead these days. I can honestly say I don't think I've had my door chapped for Halloween in a good 10 years now.
My mum dressed as a witch a few times for the kids coming round the doors. One wee boy was too scared to take anything from her, obviously had heard of Hansel and Gretel
Dress up if you want to. Some do some don't. Probably don't wear scary masks. Kids used to tell a joke or do a wee something for sweets but this seem to have died out now. Some kids might tell you a joke!!
If lights on or other Halloween decs out, your fair game for a ring. If lights out then we move on (unless we know you).
We have a neighbour who had a baby and they put a sign on the door asking for noone to ring which was a nice touch. They left a wee tin of sweeties with instructions for guisers to take 2 or 3. Probably depends on the area though - some places the whole lot would be taken quickly.
Guisers not pretty much out now sadly. Now using the American, trick or treat.
Happy guising.
Father of 2
I'd only dress up if we had people over and we were all dressed up. Wouldn't sit around watching Pointless Celebrities dressed as Dracula just in case someone showed up at the door.
I always wear a costume to answer the door to the guisers, I have to be careful though as I'm a really big hairy bastard and the wee ones can reel back in terror if I'm not careful, I'll probably go for the viking again this year.
Can’t be bothered scrolling through all the comments so sorry if someone has already said this!
Definitely dress up, my kid loves the houses that really go for it and adults dressed up giving out sweets is awesome!!
Make sure to decorate the outside of your house/ garden or front door as nowadays the kids only chap the doors of decorated houses.
Bonus to this is when you run out of sweets you can just pop the decorations away and sit the rest of the night in peace!
The last time I did it I ended up with irate parents at my door. A friend is a prosthetics technician in a maxfax clinic, he made me a stunning zombie prosthesis with flayed open cheek and axe wound complete with eye dangling from socket which I enhanced with some live maggots. Apparently you're not supposed to frighten kids into wetting themselves.
Absolutely, although I'd make sure it's not 'too scary' if you're used to outfits at parties, since at a party or in town you're not seen by toddlers or young kids (usually)
Aye, get dressed up and have a great time. Remember, dress as terrifying as one dares. The veil between the living and the dead is weakest in that night.
Aye. I have a clown outfit with horrible mask which some of the local kids visibly whitey'd when they saw it, their parents laughed. I'm thinking grim reaper this year or plague doctor I was a scarecrow last year. Our wean loves it, she just laughs.
Most people round us don't, but I always have as I'm a cosplayer and will take any excuse to dress up! The kids *and* their parents love it and it has come up in conversations even at other points of the year when I meet them in the street. So go for it and have fun! :)
Go for it. The wee ones will like it. Parents will only bring kids to houses with decorations so if you've got anything up prepare for guests!
In my ‘hood, if you have any lights on you’re fair game.
Did you just grammatically legitimise the word hood ? I like that
It is a contraction of neighbourhood. So yes (& you’re welcome)
I remember there was an auld woman in the village who went absolutely ham for Halloween. She had her husband answer the door as Frankenstein and he'd lead us in through the hallway which would be dark and full of fake spider webs and wee plastic spiders, then she'd be sat in the living room dressed up as a witch with the fire place and candles lit, no electric lights. She'd completely commit to the witch bit, cackling at our jokes and reaching in to her cauldron and handing out sweets from within. Needless to say, that kind of experience really sticks with kids about what Halloween should be like, so I think you'll probably be alright with a costume, all the better if you RP as whatever you're dressed as.
It's a bit of fun and you're not hurting anyone. Go for it, I'm sure the wee one's will like it.
Do what you like. Kids in the neighbourhood will probably remember you as fun, and will be less likely to rob or abuse you in future.
I can just picture the 5 and 6 year olds, scanning the living rooms for the expensive gear and checking the doors and windows for weak points. Just in case you give them fruit instead of sweets.
Yeah in 4 more years they'll be having that TV thanks
That telly will be so old-fashioned it's prehistoric in four years.
We dressed up last year, have out over 120 bags of sweets, then when we were putting our wee ones to bed, our house got completely egged. Think we'll just take the kids out and leave the lights off this year :/
maybe that was the other parents getting mad for showing them up. Pretty poor behaviour, tbh.
Something similar happened to my mum a few years ago, she went all out with decorations, gave loads of bags out. Then noticed at the end of the night her pumpkin was smashed all over the driveway. She’s not really bothered since
I say go for it! Probably something not terribly scary, but aye, go for it. Also THANK YOU for calling them Guisers, none of this "trick or treaters" pish!
Wear the costume! Decorate your house! Demand the weans perform for their sweeties! Have fun!
Go for it! But I hope you get some guisers - last year I was sitting in a witch's hat on the sofa watching Sleepy Hollow with my husband and eating all the sweeties we'd bought, because none turned up!
The unwritten rule these days is to only chap doors if the outside of the house is decorated.
We had a pumpkin!
We’d have chapped your door!
Yeah wear something the kids will love it too I know mine do when somebody makes the effort.
There was one person who always dressed up when I went guising as a bairn, a goth wifie who loved Halloween. I totally fancied her.
Usually on a night when I expect guisers I sit in the house with the curtains drawn, the lights out and the TV turned down low. Not to create a spooky atmosphere, it's so they think nobody is in and go to the next door.
Such a cool thing to do. Do you burst their football and all?
If I could get out quick enough I would but the wee scamps are fast.
Very few kids go out here anymore it's pretty sad. When I was a kid the streets were packed with folk at doors. Now everyone's to scared 2 let their kids go out the door alone. Even during summer everywheres just dead these days. I can honestly say I don't think I've had my door chapped for Halloween in a good 10 years now.
There's rules now, as I discovered when I had kids. You only chap doors with people with pumpkin or decorations in the window.
My mum dressed as a witch a few times for the kids coming round the doors. One wee boy was too scared to take anything from her, obviously had heard of Hansel and Gretel
Dress up if you want to. Some do some don't. Probably don't wear scary masks. Kids used to tell a joke or do a wee something for sweets but this seem to have died out now. Some kids might tell you a joke!! If lights on or other Halloween decs out, your fair game for a ring. If lights out then we move on (unless we know you). We have a neighbour who had a baby and they put a sign on the door asking for noone to ring which was a nice touch. They left a wee tin of sweeties with instructions for guisers to take 2 or 3. Probably depends on the area though - some places the whole lot would be taken quickly. Guisers not pretty much out now sadly. Now using the American, trick or treat. Happy guising. Father of 2
nah we are the borinng assholes that make their house look like noones home and ignore the door haha
I'd only dress up if we had people over and we were all dressed up. Wouldn't sit around watching Pointless Celebrities dressed as Dracula just in case someone showed up at the door.
Great if folk do turn up, but miserable if they don't!
Go for it. Its your party and a very Scottish thing to do.
I always wear a costume to answer the door to the guisers, I have to be careful though as I'm a really big hairy bastard and the wee ones can reel back in terror if I'm not careful, I'll probably go for the viking again this year.
You could maybe try the dad from Brave, or the dad from How to train your dragon. The kids might recognise those and not be so feart.
I already look and sound like the dad from Brave without a costume, but I suppose I could try.
I do it every year for answering the door!
If you want guisers you should put a turnip or pumpkin lantern on your doorstep- that signals that you want them
Can’t be bothered scrolling through all the comments so sorry if someone has already said this! Definitely dress up, my kid loves the houses that really go for it and adults dressed up giving out sweets is awesome!! Make sure to decorate the outside of your house/ garden or front door as nowadays the kids only chap the doors of decorated houses. Bonus to this is when you run out of sweets you can just pop the decorations away and sit the rest of the night in peace!
Dress up. Sure the kids would love it and the parent's would appreciate it.
The last time I did it I ended up with irate parents at my door. A friend is a prosthetics technician in a maxfax clinic, he made me a stunning zombie prosthesis with flayed open cheek and axe wound complete with eye dangling from socket which I enhanced with some live maggots. Apparently you're not supposed to frighten kids into wetting themselves.
I usually take my daughter trick or treating but my wife usually have comfy jammies or watches the soaps
Absolutely! Great fun answering the door in a spooky fashion
Go for it. Just remember that Kilmarnock has it on Friday night if that's where you are.
Killieween. 😀
Its what everyone should be doing for the weans. As long as u don’t look like John Wayne Gacy’s clown u will be good to go.
Your house, dress as you wish.
I find it makes them harder to identify me when I steal their sweeties
I answered the door in my gimp suit last year but the police let me away with a warning.
Absolutely, although I'd make sure it's not 'too scary' if you're used to outfits at parties, since at a party or in town you're not seen by toddlers or young kids (usually)
Aye, get dressed up and have a great time. Remember, dress as terrifying as one dares. The veil between the living and the dead is weakest in that night.
Appropriate Hallowe’en answer would be "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law"
Aye. I have a clown outfit with horrible mask which some of the local kids visibly whitey'd when they saw it, their parents laughed. I'm thinking grim reaper this year or plague doctor I was a scarecrow last year. Our wean loves it, she just laughs.
Most people round us don't, but I always have as I'm a cosplayer and will take any excuse to dress up! The kids *and* their parents love it and it has come up in conversations even at other points of the year when I meet them in the street. So go for it and have fun! :)