Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03
SYMBOLIC CUSTOMS.
Jolly Games for All Halloween
Parties

Halloween with its quaint observances
and curious mysticism. offers the hostess
a great opportunity for original and fanci-
full decorations. not only for the table, but
the walls of her home, and the harvest
fruits and vegetables lend themselves most
effectively to the occasion.
Nothing is prettier for the walls or to
hang In festoons from the chandeliers than
the pumpkin vines, which can now be pur-
chased by the yard, though II one be fnge-
NOUS enough they can also be manufactured
at home by taking picture or other wire,
wrapping with green tissue paper and at
tachIng to 1t at intervals the blossoms
which are cut heart shaped. OF orange pa
per in three shades, and then crumpled to-
gether in the hands The leaves are cut in
imitation Of the natural plant. In making
the blossoms either an artificial center is
used. or, better still, bit of tissue paper
attached to q wire to represent the stamens-
In making me leaves two thicknesses of
the paper are used and a fine wire pasted
latter being afterward wound with green
before being attached to the main STEM
Strict attention to detail Is not absolutely
necessary in these decorative pumpkin
vines so long as the color is natural and
a semblance Of the real article is attained.
Harvest grains also lend themselves Pc
culiarly we'll to the situation. and sheaves
of grain stacked up In the corners or the
y,
imitation of the natural products, can be
purchased in paper.
For the center of the table where refresh
ments are dispensed nothing Is more eff
fective than Jack Horner pie, the cover
ing of paper being tinted to resemble the
delicate brown of a fiaky crust, such as
mother knows how to make" OF course
within are all sorts Of favors suitable to
the occasion, while long green runners
from the center end in a bright-colored
autumn leaf at each plate, which, when
drawn out supplies the guests with the
contents.
Witches, COLLINS and the like are always
supposed to circulate freely on ST. Agnes
Eve, so that their presence in some form or
ether is absolutely essential to the com
plete enjoyment of the hour. A party of
young college girls enlivened one Hal
loween party by rigging up witch's caul-
dron, which feature of the evenings
entertainment.
First of ALL the halls were brilliantly
lighted, but the other rooms were heavily
curtained and each door guarded by a
witch dressed in black and carrying a
broom. AS each guest approached the cur
tain was lifted sufficiently for her to enter.
1t took each one several moments to be-
come accustomed to the darkness of the
inner apartment, which seemed as dense
the neither regions. but the grinning faces
of lighted pumpkins scattered about the
room soon afforded sufficient light to show
the way. while from alcove partially
hidden by heavy curtains the flames OF a
burning cauldron shot up, lighting the
room with streaks of yellow and making
weird shadows on the walls.
Presiding over the cauldron was the
queen of the witches, and to her every
guest had to bow. In a horrible ncanta-
ton the witch stirred the brew each
guest approached her, and finally drew
forth from the depths a small package
which, with appropriate oblation, She pre-
Sented to her subject.