Halloween Night: Image Source Public Domain Pictures
In Victorian time they celebrated Halloween with enthusiasm, parlor games, decorations, entertainment, and food. While some of their practices were dangerous some games and food can be added to today's Halloween parties in homes, churches, organizations, and in schools. They will provide entertainment and enjoyment for both children and adults.
A Brief History of Victorian Halloween
Animation Source: Giphy
Queen Victoria celebrated Halloween at Balmoral Castle with relatives and nearby farmers and tenants. In the evening the guests arrived carrying lighted torches and walked through the grounds of the castle. A large bonfire built and lit and it burned most of the evening. The night began with a ritual of an effigy of a witch thrown into the bonfire and burned. This began the evening of Halloween activities.
Queen Victoria : Source: En Wikipedia
Torches and Effigy Being Burned: En Wikipedia Org.
The immigration to the United State of Scottish and Irish immigrants shaped Halloween customs. Other groups brought their own customs making Halloween a holiday with many diverse customs.
Inside the castle many parlor games were played designed for women. The games were used as a way to predict the future. They revolved around the woman finding out who her future husband would be or realizing she would stay single. . One practice had a woman or girl stand in front of a mirror and eat an apple. If the spirits were amiable, she would see the reflection of her future husband in the mirror when she finished eating the apple.
Magic Mirror Game: En Wikipedia
At a party a mirror was set up and several girls and women played the game. Sometimes the apple with cut into eight pieces and the girl had to eat the apple one piece at a time in front of the mirror while others watched.
Another popular parlor game roasting nuts was used to predict friendship. Two nuts were placed on a shovel held over the fire or grate. If two roasted quietly and didn't burn or crack, it meant the friends had a happy friendship. It they burned or cracked it mean the two friends are incompatible. They would probably fight and disagree on most topics.
Bobbing For Apples Source:
Flicker/Rob Swystun
Bobbing for apples was a popular game during this time. A large tub of water was placed in the middle of the floor in a room. The guest threw apples into the tub. This game in the Victorian era was played by mostly men and women did not often participate.
They person bobbing for apples had to submerge their head and neck into the water and grab the apple with their teeth. Today it's a game that can be played by both men and women. It can be a game to add to a party or Halloween get together.
Trick or treating started in Victorian times when children dressed up in costumes and went door to door. They had to sing or perform a trick to get a trick or treat from the houses they visited. Victorian parties often served tea sandwiches, candied apples, roasted nuts, candy, cake, and other treats. Sometimes the cakes contained rings, keys, and coins. These items predicted travel, wealth, and future marriage of those that received the piece with the baked item.
Victorian costumes often were fashioned after popular books or plays. At Halloween parties they told ghost stories, sang songs, and had seances to give Halloween that spooky frightening atmosphere.
In Victorian Times people made Soul cakes a small cake or cookie to give to guests at a party or trick or treaters. For each cake received by someone a prayer was said for a dead person. Recipes often had dried fruit, raisins, currents, and nuts.
During Victorian times Halloween postcards and cards became a popular way to celebrate and invite others to a party. The earliest postcards can be traced to the 1800's with black cats, ghosts, pumpkins, witches, skeletons, and bats.
Halloween Postcard Source: Public Domain Pictures
Ways to Add Victorian Halloween Ideas to Parties and Celebrations
Indoor Decorations Source Wix Media
Make your own Halloween decorations instead of buying them. Victorians made their own decorations of paper, natural materials like wood, branches, craved pumpkins, watercolor, crayons, and markers. Carve your own pumpkins for decorations, trace and cut out black cats, witches, and skeletons to decorate doors and areas indoors.
This article on DIY Project will give you some great ideas on how to make your own decorations Easy DIY Halloween Projects
Old Fashioned Halloween Party Tips on Click Americana gives you more ways to make your own decorations
Skeleton Animation Source Giphy
Add some Victorian parlor games for indoor parties to create some excitement. This article How to Play Victorian Parlor Games on Real Homes will give you some great ideas on some new games to play.
Tell ghost stories during the evening or read scary stories from your favorite author. Play spooky Halloween music, sing songs , or make up Halloween poetry and read it aloud.
Ghost Animation: Source Giphy
Bob for apples encourages both boys and girls to participate in the game.
Make candied apples, caramel popcorn balls, seasoned pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cake, chocolate covered orange slices, serve baked apples, nuts, chocolates, tea sandwiches, or soul cakes. The recipe Soul Cakes on The English Kitchen will instruct you how to make them or rather bake them. Also check on 18 Vintage Halloween Treats on Click Americana. This can give you some other ideas on what food to serve.
Halloween Animation: Source Giphy
References:
What Victorian Halloween Was Really Like, by William Fischer, The Grunge, October 17, 2022
A Victorian Halloween Party Mimi Matthews Website 2024
The Traditions of Halloween The Virtual Victorian by Essie Fox October 2021
A Spooky Connection How Victorian Era Customs Shaped Modern Halloween Festivities, Horror Chronicles, June 2024
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