While in ancient times halloween was dedicated to the start of a new year, the harvest, and protection against evil spirits, it became much more about community and social gatherings come the 19th century. Parties for both children and adults were planned and executed in macabre and frightening or grotesque ways, the more so the better.
Games were often played at these parties which by todays standards were either to dangerous or to tame for adults. Some examples of the tamer ones included Pin the tail on the Donkey, Blind Man's Bluff, Bobbing for apples, and Fox and Geese. Scavanger hunts were also popular pasttimes at these events as it allowed the younger people to split into groups and meet in the woods without the peering eyes of chaperones.
Of the more dangerous the most memorable would have to be Crossroad Apples. The set up was simple take a cross of wood and tie apples on the four corners then hang the setup from the ceiling or a tree. On top of the beams of wood were lit candles, the idea was to get the apple off without getting hit in the face with hot wax.
Now these were not the only entertainments of a proper halloween affair either. One could expect a good deal of feasting on festive and seasonal harvest foods. Such as pumpkin pie , a personal favorite, roasted corn, roast pig or pheasant, etc.
After dinner had concluded it would be time to wind down before bed with some quieter activities. These might include a show done by the participants themselves, or ghost stories around the fire.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Deathly Superstitions
Especially early on in the Victorian period stretching back even as far as the Regency period and lasting well into late Edwardian period the macabre was a point of fascination with the general public. It was a point of mystery as little was known about death yet, it was terrifying but whom doesn't like a safe scare now and again?
The 19th century was just full of terrifying, twisted tales, events, games, it filled the parlors of every household at least once a year. From these death enraptured minds came the superstitions. Throughout history superstitions followed every part of life but in the 19th century death became the key theme of numerous amounts of superstitious tales.
Here for your view pleasures are but a few:
- If the deceased has lived a good life, flowers would bloom on his grave; but if he has been evil, only weeds would grow.
- If several deaths occur in the same family, tie a black ribbon to everything left alive that enters the house, even dogs & chickens. This will protect them against deaths spreading further.
- Never wear anything new to a funeral, especially shoes.
- You should always cover your mouth while yawning so your spirit doesn’t leave you and the devil never enters your body.
- It is bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. If you see one approaching, turn around. If this is unavoidable, hold on to a button until the funeral cortege passes.
- Large drops of rain warn that there has been a death.
- Stop the clock in a death room or you will have bad luck.
- To lock the door of your home after a funeral procession has left the house is bad luck.
- If you hear a clap of thunder following a burial it indicates that the soul of the departed has reached heaven.
- If you hear 3 knocks and no one is there, it usually means someone close to you has died. (The superstitious call this the 3 knocks of death.)
- If you leave something that belongs to you to the deceased, that means the person will come back to get you.
- If a firefly/lightening bug gets into your house someone will die soon.
- If you smell roses when none are around someone is going to die.
- If you don’t hold your breath while going by a graveyard you will not be buried.
- If you see yourself in a dream, your death will follow.
- If you see an owl in the daytime, there will be death.
- If you dream about a birth, someone you know will die.
- If it rains in an open grave then someone in the family will die within the year.
- If a bird pecks on your window or crashes into one, there has been a death.
- If a sparrow lands on a piano, someone in the home will die.
- If a picture falls off a wall, there will be a death of someone you know.
- Never speak ill of the dead because they will come back to haunt you or you will suffer misfortune.
- Two deaths in the family mean that a third is to follow.
- The cry of a curlew or the hoot of an owl foretells death.
- A single snowdrop growing in the garden foretells a death.
- Having only red & white flowers together in a vase (especially in a hospital) means a death will soon follow.
- Dropping an umbrella on the floor or opening one in the house means that there will be a murder in the house.
- A diamond-shaped fold in clean linen portends death.
- A dog howling at night when someone in the house is sick is a bad omen. It can be reversed by reaching under the bed & turning over a shoe.
The 19th century was just full of terrifying, twisted tales, events, games, it filled the parlors of every household at least once a year. From these death enraptured minds came the superstitions. Throughout history superstitions followed every part of life but in the 19th century death became the key theme of numerous amounts of superstitious tales.
Here for your view pleasures are but a few:
- If the deceased has lived a good life, flowers would bloom on his grave; but if he has been evil, only weeds would grow.
- If several deaths occur in the same family, tie a black ribbon to everything left alive that enters the house, even dogs & chickens. This will protect them against deaths spreading further.
- Never wear anything new to a funeral, especially shoes.
- You should always cover your mouth while yawning so your spirit doesn’t leave you and the devil never enters your body.
- It is bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. If you see one approaching, turn around. If this is unavoidable, hold on to a button until the funeral cortege passes.
- Large drops of rain warn that there has been a death.
- Stop the clock in a death room or you will have bad luck.
- To lock the door of your home after a funeral procession has left the house is bad luck.
- If you hear a clap of thunder following a burial it indicates that the soul of the departed has reached heaven.
- If you hear 3 knocks and no one is there, it usually means someone close to you has died. (The superstitious call this the 3 knocks of death.)
- If you leave something that belongs to you to the deceased, that means the person will come back to get you.
- If a firefly/lightening bug gets into your house someone will die soon.
- If you smell roses when none are around someone is going to die.
- If you don’t hold your breath while going by a graveyard you will not be buried.
- If you see yourself in a dream, your death will follow.
- If you see an owl in the daytime, there will be death.
- If you dream about a birth, someone you know will die.
- If it rains in an open grave then someone in the family will die within the year.
- If a bird pecks on your window or crashes into one, there has been a death.
- If a sparrow lands on a piano, someone in the home will die.
- If a picture falls off a wall, there will be a death of someone you know.
- Never speak ill of the dead because they will come back to haunt you or you will suffer misfortune.
- Two deaths in the family mean that a third is to follow.
- The cry of a curlew or the hoot of an owl foretells death.
- A single snowdrop growing in the garden foretells a death.
- Having only red & white flowers together in a vase (especially in a hospital) means a death will soon follow.
- Dropping an umbrella on the floor or opening one in the house means that there will be a murder in the house.
- A diamond-shaped fold in clean linen portends death.
- A dog howling at night when someone in the house is sick is a bad omen. It can be reversed by reaching under the bed & turning over a shoe.
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