For late-October revelers, Halloween has traditionally been filled with surprise. Contemporary readers, though, might be amazed to discover how vastly differently this popular holiday was celebrated in America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Halloween observances staged between the late 1870s and the early 1930s--a period often referred to as the holiday's "Golden Age"--routinely boasted decorations gleaned from nature, clever homemade party favors, winsome (not gruesome) masquerade attire, and intriguing old, old-fashioned games that were often designed to divine the identity of one's future mate.
Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration of Fun, Food, and Frolics from Halloweens Past offers a fascinating glimpse at material from a vast assortment of the vintage party guides and magazines that guided intrepid hostesses in their quests to stage parties worthy of the holiday's reputation for mystery and fun. Filled with illustrations and mementos, Halloween Merrymaking pays splendid tribute to the imaginative festivities of yesteryear.
| Preface | 7 | |
| Introduction | 9 | |
| How Inviting! | 17 | |
| Haunt the Halls | 25 | |
| Do Me a Favor | 34 | |
| The Halloween Table | 38 | |
| Food with a Side of Fun | 46 | |
| Get Me to the Masquerade in Disguise | 60 | |
| Frolics and Soothsaying | 65 | |
| Brewsome Stunts in a Teacup | 75 | |
| Black-Cat Balls and Halloween "Germans" | 79 | |
| Fun for Pint-Sized Goblins | 82 | |
| Halloween Articles from Yesteryear | 89 | |
| Resource Guide | 106 |
Overview
--The Housekeeper, October 1910
For late-October revelers, Halloween has traditionally been filled with surprise. Contemporary readers, though, might be amazed to discover how vastly differently this popular holiday was ...