Halloween Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear
The fastest-growing holiday in America, Halloween has not always been the night of ghoulish decorations, candy, and trick-or-treating we now know. Halloween celebrations of yesteryear were a time to peer into the future for love and marriage, fate and fortune. "From ancient times into the early decades of the twentieth century, this mystical occasion has been feted with quaint soothsaying rituals that bestowed fortune-telling properties on everything from the fruits of the harvest to items as ordinary as mirrors, vessels of water, and balls of yarn." Lavishly designed and printed postcards were also extremely popular, and were exchanged at every possible occasion, and Halloween was no exception. The aura of mystery and the vibrant images of glowing lanterns, will-o'-the-wisps, and mischievous creatures make these special mementos colorful standouts. Halloween: Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear is an artful blend of old-fashioned poems and prose, vivid images, and fanciful illustrations, and provides a unique window on American culture.  This book is a superb resource for ideas to plan a celebration that reflects the joy of the harvest and the spirit of community. This book is also a must for readers interested in early-twentieth-century culture and ephemera.  Diane C. Arkins is a journalist/freelance writer who has been published widely in national magazines and major metropolitan newspapers. She has many fond memories of Halloween and collects vintage holiday memorabilia.