Yeah, there are 3 different pronunciations I've come across. The more southern American way which the vowels in about/out/etc. are pronounced more like the "ow" in "owl" or "vowel", then the other extreme which is a very east-coast Newfoundlander one that sounds more like "aboot" with a strong Irish or Scottish heritage sound to it, then what most of the rest of everyone seems to say which is more like the "ou" in "ouch", which is how we tend to say it. What's funny for me though is I find that most Americans I run into say it the same way that we do too as long as they're not from the south. :)

So you get basically the 3 pronunciations:

aow (southern US)
ow (most of Canada, good chunk of US)
oow (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ireland, Scotland)

:)

The Boston accent is seriously weird and messed up.

It's like a cross between US and Australian.

That's what "aboot" is supposed to be parodying. Like, it's an overly-exaggerated version of the already-exaggerated "aboat".
What are these costumes supposed to be/represent, exactly? If I saw one of those things, my video game instincts would kick in and I'd want to attack it.
You should've gone into some long, moving tale about how it's this horrible condition which your family has been cursed with for generations, and you just can't find a cure for it but have learned to, nevertheless, live and embrace this struggle.

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You've obviously heard of it based on your response, the point I was making is still valid.

I actually only watched maybe one or two episodes. I don't do episodic TV, I don't have the attention span or dedication to watch 30+ hours of one storyline.

They make a lot of noise, as they carry bells with them (and sticks — you should know that all Portuguese carry a big stick with them at all times :-P).

The traditions has millennial ancestry, and the masks and costumes are supposed to scare people (mostly young women). It should not surprise you that they are inspired by demonic representations.

That is a good story. Personally, I would go with "Donald Trump put his hand on my forehead and cured me".

Uh...would you mind translating that page for me? I can understand a fair bit of Spanish, but Portuguese, while similar, is a ways out of my league.
What are the sticks for?
Cue the memes.
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/914/558/574.png

...and that there aren't loads of "white" Mexicans in Mexico.

You mean the Spanish?

Oh, geez. No, not just those of Spanish descent.

That was a joke, pal.

I got it, but I didn't say anything.

The Caretos wear crude masks, where the pointy nose stands out, made of leather, wood or common tin, painted in red, black, yellow or green. Colour is also one of the most noticeable attributes of their dressing: costumes of stranded quilts of red wool, green and yellow, with a strand of bells around the waist and [those strips of leather crossed on their torso] with bells. Their costume also includes a stick that supports them while running and jumping.
The rustic environment cannot be dissociated from this mysterious figure.

Moving along to something that includes no sticks. New year's celebration!

On midnight people may eat 12 raisins (some times standing on a chair) and some throw dishes out the window. When I was younger I would hear some crashing sounds outside (my family never did that). Nowadays you can still walk around the street on january first and see some remains of a broken dish on the side walk, mainly in smaller towns.
It is important that the dish is white, however. It seems only they bring you good luck.

Actually in parts of Germany that is what you do when you get married.

Throwing white dishes/porcelain. It is supposed to bring luck to the newly wed couple.