What makes Halloween in Scotland so scary?

We know all about Scotland's role in the early days of Halloween and how important it was in the rise of event but what isn't talked about as much however is how special and unique Scotland has made Halloween both in the past and even today. Join us as we talk about just how scary Halloween in Scotland can be and some strange traditions that are not around today.

A strange yet forgotten Halloween tradition that seems to only exist in Scotland is nut burning. An engaged couple would each put a nut into a fierce burning fire. If both of the nuts fizzled away quietly then it was believed that the marriage would be a happy one without any issues and complications. If the nuts sizzled, hissed and erupted into flames however, then it was believed that the marriage would be stormy with lots of ups and downs. If a girl or boy throws two nuts into the fire (one for them and one for their lover) and the nuts were noisy and hissed, then this was also a bad sign for their future. Eating pork on Halloween was also illegal for a long time thanks to the Witchcraft act of 1735. This act was surprisingly only repealed around 60 years ago!

- Nut burning is an old Halloween tradition that is perhaps not as popular as it used to be.

Another strange Scottish Halloween tradition is apple peeling. Boys or girls would peel a small strip of an apple and then toss it over their shoulder. The shape of the apple skin when it landed would supposedly reveal the first letter of the future husband or wife of whoever tossed the skin. Perhaps not so surprisingly this tradition is not as popular these days as people are much less superstitious than they used to be!

Another great spooky Halloween advantage Scotland has over many other countries is the large number of supposed abandoned and "haunted" locations ranging from Mental Asylums, ancient Medieval Castles and even whole villages. One of the most interesting of these locations is an old Victorian railway station near Glasgow's Botanic gardens. This station has been unused for many decades and was closed after the second World War. Although trains still pass through this station it remains completely abandoned to the public and can still seem incredibly creepy to some.

As well as haunted and abandoned locations there are also many supposed haunted locations that are used as tourist attractions. One of the most famous of these is the village of Glencoe where an incredibly brutal murder spree took place. A group of soldiers working for the government snuck into the village and murdered 38 men, women and children while they lay in their beds sleeping. These people were members of the Clan Macdonald and although some other members of the clan were able to survive and flee the village to the nearby mountains they unfortunately died due to the brutal cold weather. Nowadays many people claim to hear the screams of these 38 people when visiting the Glen especially when nearing the exact date of the incident.

- Glencoe village where hundreds of years ago brutal murders were carried out is said to remain haunted to this very day.

At the Scotland Kilt Company we have many items that are perfect for Halloween-wear! Our imitations Sgian Dubhs are a great example as they can act like a small sword or knife but are of course incredibly safe to use due to their bluntness. We also have a variety of capes that are a Halloween staple as well as black Utility kilts, traditional pocket watches and more. Whatever you end up doing this evening we hope you end up having a great Halloween!

- Our imitation Sgian Dubhs are a great (and safe) addition to any Halloween costume!