Apples hanging in a row,
Flaming candles all aglow.
Witches flying everywhere,
Magic music in the air.
There’ll be mischief now I ween
On this mystic Hallowe’en!
—Anonymous, 19th century Halloween card

In America in the 19th century, October 32, the night of Halloween or All Hallows Eve, was a young person’s holiday centering around parties and games rather than trick or treating. Beyond bobbing for apples, they used their imaginations. Here are five Victorian parlor games for Halloween that are unusual and scary fun for all the boys and ghouls.

Spearing Apples
Apples are set afloat in a tub of water. Guests attempt to spear an apple by holding a fork above their head and letting it drop. Prizes are given to the successful. Unsuccessful guests must pay a forfeit.

‘Round the Circle
Twigs are gathered into a loose bundle. Everyone who wants to play sits in front of a fireplace and selects a twig. As each guest  sets his/her twig on fire, they must tell a ghost story that lasts as long as the twig burns. When the twig goes out, the next person in turn lights their twig and takes up the story.

Test of Colors
Ribbons of various colors are collected. Each girl puts on a blindfold and picks a ribbon. The color of the ribbon is supposed to predict which college/university her future husband will attend.

Nutcrack Night
Little boats made of walnut shells holding lit candles are set afloat in a tub of water by each guest. Predictions are made based on the boat’s movements. For example, if two boats collided, a shared future was predicted, and the first boat to reach the other side of the tub belonged to the person destined to marry before everyone else.

Mistletoe
Although  modern Americans consider mistletoe more fitting to the Christmas holiday, in the late 19th century, newspapers reported the custom of kissing girls caught under mistletoe on Halloween.

Greeting Card Universe wishes you a safe and frightfully fantastic night with unique vintage and other Halloween cards from our one of a kind collection. Order on-line and we’ll put your ghostly greetings in the mail the next business day. Or get free in-store pick-up, usually in 1 hour, at many Target and Bartell drug stores.

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