Guising, the predecessor of modern trick-or-treating, was a traditional practice in parts of the British Isles, especially Scotland and Ireland, where children would go door-to-door in costume or disguise and receive food, money, or small offerings. The practice has deep roots in ancient and medieval traditions and was often linked to harvest seasons, spirits, and protective rituals during Halloween and the broader Samhain period. Here’s a concise overview of why it occurred in the past:
- Protection from spirits and mischief
- During Halloween and the associated season of Samhain, it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was thin, and wandering spirits or revenants could cause harm. By disguising themselves as these spirits or as ghostly figures, children were thought to blend in with the shadows and avoid drawing the attention or wrath of malevolent beings. This belief helped keep people safe during a time of heightened supernatural fears.
- Safety and social etiquette
- Guising served as a social protocol to channel children’s nocturnal activities away from wandering unsupervised and potentially dangerous behavior. The costume, songs, or rhymes acted as a form of social “payment” or exchange for the hospitality of neighbors, reducing social tensions and encouraging orderly participation in seasonal festivities.
- Ritual economy and community bonding
- The rewards (food, small coins, or nuts) created a reciprocal relationship between households and children, reinforcing community ties and shared cultural memory around the harvest and year-end celebrations. This exchange also provided nourishment during the dark months and helped families participate in collective ritual life.
- Historical and literary continuity
- Guising is documented in Scotland from at least the 16th century, with connections to New Year celebrations and other feasts where people dressed in masks or costumes and performed for entry to social spaces. Over time, as Halloween evolved, guising shifted toward a more Halloween-centric form of door-to-door visiting with treats, echoing the broader trick-or-treating tradition that spread in various forms across parts of the British Isles and beyond.
- Evolving practices and regional variations
- In Scotland, guising (also known as galoshans in some dialects) often involved presenting jokes, songs, or rhymes in exchange for treats, and sometimes the disguises were quite elaborate. Ireland and other regions had similar customs, with local flavor and timing that could emphasize Halloween or other seasonal festivities. The core idea—disguise, performance, and exchange—remains central to the practice’s historical purpose.
If you’d like, I can tailor this overview to a particular region (e.g., Scotland vs Ireland) or provide a brief timeline showing how guising transformed into modern trick-or-treating.
