The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-10-22
ORIGIN AND CUSTOM
Of THE HALLOWEEN
Popularity of Festival Grows
With Each Succeeding
Year.
WAYS TO AMUSE
GUESTS ARE MANY
Fires Must Be Lighted and Jack
O'-LanternS Glow From
Every Corner.

THE popularity OF Halloween par
ties has grown with each succeed
ing year. The day, or evening. is
the Slst of October, a beautiful
season, and one which provides ample
means o. carrying out Halloween SUI
perstitions
Like all festival days now having ap-
parenuy only "a secular Interpretation
Halloween had a religious origin.
As far back as we know, it has been
customary 10 celebrate the last day OF
October.
Tradition holds that. long ere the
Wise Men of the East proclaimed the
. birth of Christ, a great festival was
held on October 31st by Druid priests.
As nation by nation became Chris
sianized the day was called "All Hal
Aow' because il preceded All Saints
pay.
ay For
Entertaining.
In modern times this day has come 70
regarded by old and young alike as
he day par excellence on which to en-
ertain.
There are great many ways 10 amuSe
quests on this watching night, so many
n fact, that a hostess must choose from
the time-worn customs those best suit
ed to the enjoyment of her particular
company and friends.
Two hundred years ago il was GUS
4omary to build great bonfires on the
hills TO proclaim that majestic and
Aacred rites We're being performed, and
IL was a season of great rejoicing. In
honor Of this custom a huge log FIRE
IS a desirable attribute 10 a Halloween
Even in the city house or apartment,
where only a gas log is possible, be
sure to light it. and use candles only
Cor Illumination. Jack-O'-laUtrrus must
glow from every available corner.
Things
To Eat.
Have popcorn TO be popped by the
guests; dishes filed with bright red
apples, and bowls filled with nuts to
crack.
For this is the one night of the year
when Fate is supposed to give us power
90 peer into the future and divine the
course of true love
Tassels from corn ears are named
by the maidenS, then placed over the
door, and the man first 10 pass under
the one bearing his name IS supposed
to he the life partner Of the girl who
named H.
While bobbing for apples is an old.
Cd. custom, no Halloween party is
4Quite complete without IL. Fiji small
+ hub with water. put in eight or ten
Iapples. first having inserted in one OF
them a ring, in another a thimble, in
the third a coin. and in still another
a button
These significant tokens will decide
the fate of the four persons getting the
apples containing them on the spot
ACandIe
Fortune Is Popular.
The candle fortune is another pop
uiar one. Place lighted candles in the
open window. The one which burns
the longest is the one who viii remain
faithful to the end. The candles are
silently named before they are lighted.
A Dutch lunch served at midnight
lis an attractive refreShmcut for a Hal
.loween party. Brown and rye bread,
Icider, coffee, potato salad with Erillcd
herring. olives, cheese, and a big mys-
terry cake, should make UP the menu.
This cake is cut by lot. IL being an
F1nor TO cut the first slice Inside the
cake are tiny white bags inserted be-
fore baking or iclng) containing four.
which Indicates a wealthy marriage: ,
sugar, siEnEying q love match. corn
meal which shows that the recipient
viii have to work for a living and
three empty bags which fOreteu single
bIessedness for the next year.
In the way OF quotations for place
cards. the hostess has a store Of riches
from which to draw by consulting