Frightened to death by a Halloween 'False Face'
Growing up in the north of Ireland in the 1970s and 80s, my Halloweens were full of apples, whether bobbing for them, eating them in apple tarts with a 5p coin hidden inside, or trying to catch them as they swung on a piece of string. We also had monkey nuts, sparklers, indoor fireworks and false faces. We weren't allowed to go trick or treating but there was usually a bonfire in the area to visit on the night itself. I wonder how many of these games or treats are still a feature of the modern, commercial version full of pumpkins and literal tubs of sweets? The term 'false faces' is one that I never hear these days. These masks seems to be more associated with Scottish Halloween celebrations but were certainly a feature in Ireland too. The faces I remember were usually comically grotesque demons or witches. Maybe they're too frightening for modern children! We'd pick ours out from local shops days in advance and hang them up ready to wear on the day itself. I guess ...