Halloween parties over 100 years ago were more about the fun and games than about scaring the absolute crap out of each other. Below are halloween party suggestions from over 100 years ago. Personally, I think if you could get the kids off of their phones and tablets, they might enjoy some of the old games.
Suggestions For Halloween Fun And House Decorations
Of course, no Halloween gathering is true to form without witches, spooks, candles, diving for apples and fortune telling wizards. But here are some suggestions as to how to marshal the ghosts, spooks and witches to get the most fun.
First of all, Halloween requires special decorations. The whole house may be decorated at extremely low cost and yet elaborately. Get out into the country and bring in quantities of autumn leaves and golden rod. With plenty of orange and black tissue paper and a few pumpkin lanterns, the whole place can be made very festive indeed.
Spooks And Goops
Invitations should be sent out about a week before the party. Ask a number of girls to be “spooks,” some to be “goops,” and other ghosts. Ghosts are all white — the usual garment made out of a sheet and pillow case. The “goop” costume is accomplished with dark shirts fastened at the waist and caught over the head. At the waist line a stick is fastened to form arms on which to hang a sweater which reaches to the floor. This gives the effect of a queer little body and an enormous head.
During the evening the ghosts, spooks and goops should be very busy; also the goops may dance and do clever stunts. At the front door as the guests arrive, one of the ghosts should be stationed to receive people in the dark. She must shake hands with everybody — not a soul should be allowed to escape her clammy, cold hand. This is really an old cotton glove, stuffed with boiled rice and kept on ice for several hours.
Witch’s Dungeon
After the ghost, still in the dark, the guest is confronted with the spook, who is armed with a bellows. She springs out suddenly and blows fierce blasts in the face of the unsuspecting guest. Then the goops appear and lead the now loudly protesting guests in the dark through the witch’s dungeon, Here they must climb over obstacles, crawl through narrow openings and walk ten feet on a piece of rubber hose!
When all the guests have met the ghosts, spooks and goops, the witch appears. She is director of festivities.
The whole evening should be crammed full of stunts and games and tricks. Ducking for apples, fortune telling, peeling apples without breaking the peel, so your wish will come true, doughnut biting, all are fun.
Here are three unusually good games to play at your Halloween party. The “Musical Nut Hunt” will start the ball rolling and will insure ease and freedom from diffidence on the part of every guests. Try it first, because it gets your guests moving about the rooms.
Three Letter Words
The first player spells out a word of three letters; any word, like “pie” for example. The next player spells a word of three letters beginning with the last letter of the word just given. In the example it would be “e,” and the chance to give “eat,” the third following with “t,” “tea.” No word can be given twice, and anyone failing to give a word must drop out of the game.
Testing Fate
Seven candles, each marked signifying some special good fortune — money, travel, fame, promotion, wrist watch, diamond ring, marriage — are placed around the room. Players in turn, blindfolded with a black handkerchief so that no light can penetrate, are turned three times to the center of the room and then allowed to walk forward four steps and blow thrice. When candle is extinguished its particular luck falls to the player within the year.
Someone seated at a piano begins to play “a chestnut.” This is the signal to start gathering nuts which are hidden all over the house. When the music stops short, players must hold the exact attitudes in which they are caught until the music begins again or pay a forfeit to the witch. This will be perfectly ludicrous at times and will cause great merriment. When three chords are sounded all must return with their treasures to the piano, where a prize is awarded for the most points. To make it doubly interesting each variety should score differently — an almond, 6 points, maybe; a huge coconut, 2 points; a Brazil nut, 10, and so on.
Source: Bisbee Daily Review. Newspaper. October 31, 1919.
