Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-10-30
HALLOWEEN.
The Significance Of the Day and How to
Make Merry on That Night.

and plans are being made for parties
and all kinds of good times on that
fateful night. A few words as to the
origin and significance of the day are
''appropos at this time and some
suggestions as to how the Hal
lowe'en' may be best celebrated will
doubtless be of interest to those who
are planning entertainments for that
night.
To those who ask the significance of
this day we answer that, like all fes-
tival days now having apparently
only secular Interpretation. it had a
religious origin. From time i'm
memorial it has been the custom to
celebrate the last day of October.
"Hallow eve," or Zen" as it is
generally called.
1t is recorded in history that long
before the Wise Men of the East pro-
claimed the birth of Christ that a
great festival was held on this date by
Druid priests. AS the. nations became
Christianized the day was called "All
Hallow" because it preceded All
Saints Day.
To come down to modern time, this
day is regarded by old and young as
the day "par excellence" on which to
entertain.
There are so many ways to amuse, so
many schemes to try, that one evening
is far too short to do them all, $50 the
hostess must adapt what is best suited
to her own company.
Two hundred years ago it was GUS
tomary to build huge bonfires on the
hills to proclaim that majestic and
sacred rites were being performed,
that it was a season of great rejoic.
ing so huge fire of logs is a desir-
able attribute to Halloween party.
| Many city house or fat can boast
of only a gas log-but be sure and
light it, using only candles for il
Illumination. OF course Jack o-lan-
terms must glow from every available
corner. from mantel and book. case in
fact every spot capable of holding it
should bear grinning Jack.
Have popcorn to be popped by the
guests, dishes filled with red apples
and bowls of nuts to crack.
On this night Fate" gives an op-
portunity to peer into the future and
divine the course CT true love. Tassels
from corn ears are named by the
maidens, then placed over the door
and the man first to pass under the
one bearing his name is supposed to
be the life partner of the girl who
named it.
Bobbing for apples is stunt so old
that no one seems able to tell it's
origin, but no Halloween party is
complete without it. Fill small tub
with water, put in eight or ten APP
pies, first having inserted in one of
them ring, in another thimble,
in the third coin and in one but
ton. Thus will the fate of four people
be decided on the spot.
The candle fortune is always
popular. Place lighted candles in an
open window and the one which burns
the longest is one who will remain
faithful to the end of course the can
dies are silently named before being
lit.
A Dutch" lunch served at mid
night is attractive. Brown and rye
bread. cider, coffee. potato salad.
with grilled herring. olives, cheese
and great mystery cake are ap-
propriate. This cake is cut by draw
ing lots. it being considered an honor
to cut the first slice. Inside the cake
there are white bags inserted before
being baked or iced. containing -four,
which indicates rich marriage
sugar, signifying love match corn
meal, which shows the recipient will
have to work for living and three
empty bags which fortell single bles-
sedness for the next year.
| LII bhe way VI quOtaulOHS IOr place
cards the hostess has a store of riches
from which to draw by consulting
Shakespeare or Burns. A few apt
sentiments are given:
Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us am
| thing. &
This day we fashion destiny, our web
of fate we spin.
There swims no goose so gray
But soon or late
She finds some honest gander n
For her mate.
The iron tongue of midnight hath
told twelve.
When the stars shoot
And the owls boot
And bats fly in and out
When the fire burns blue
And the candle too
! Witches are about.
Double. double, toll and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble
Fresh dawning Hallow eve!
! Sweet ew-old Hallow eve
1 EOr hot fhnn for nj, lao,