Readers' letters

Once again Halloween is upon us. However, by the time you receive this letter, it will be over for another year, and hopefully, everyone will have enjoyed the Celtic Celebration.

Yes, I did say Celtic, because that’s what Halloween is, an ancient Celtic tradition that’s been going on in Scotland for at least 400 hundred years.

Traditional plays,which involved adults and children, would be performed. Latterly, these have changed to songs and poems. If an award wasn’t given, little bits of mischief would be carried out on the houseowner’s property.

Halloween and its customs are fully rooted in the Celtic world, so the English media’s continued nonsense that Halloween is a custom imported from America is utter rubbish.

In fact the whole truth of the matter is it was the Scots, and probably the Irish, who took the tradition to the United States in the first place.

Only this morning on the radio, there was some silly woman, spouting about the “American Craze”.

It just goes to show, how little the people of the UK know the history of their own country.

George HJ Frederick

via email

season

Halloween’s for children


Once upon a time Halloween was a kind of fairytale early evening happening, with children dressed in pretty or funny costumes, doing their ‘trick or treat’ visits.

Now it has turned into a money-making event with adults prowling around in grotesque costumes and painted face masks –often frightening youngsters who are trying to enjoy what, to them, is a fun time.

The sale of pumpkins has soared too, but I do not begrudge fruit sellers this increase in their takings!

Edna Levi

Address supplied

american politics

Reminded of Shaw’s words

We are all intrigued with the candidates for the United Sates Presidency. I wonder how a nation, as reputedly great as that nation is considered to be, can produce candidates of such low and dubious quality.

We, here in Britain, have had our share of poor quality candidates for the office of Prime Minister, but nowhere near the abysmal state of the USA in this election. It would convince anybody with a sound mind that elections can be bought if Trump is successful. I am reminded of the words of Bernard Shaw: “America went from savagery to decadence without the intervening stage of civilisation”. His words ring true at this time as the educated world holds their breath.

Keith D Swift

via email

conflict

Poppy ruling takes a liberty

The 11th of the 11th is Remembrance Day for UK citizens and celebrated all over the world, including many European countries as a thank you for their liberty. What a liberty, FIFA is banning the wearing of the poppy on the shirts of Scotland and England in their World Cup qualifier on that day, as it finds it political.

My uncle lies in Belgium, paying the ultimate sacrifice aged 20 for liberty. I’m sick of the erosion of the liberties of British citizens in everything we stand proud for. So let us all have our liberty, free from all political interference and religious bigotry that is sweeping across the UK from every part of the globe.

Alex Gillies via email