Starting off this year’s podcast season in earnest with a discussion of Halloween History. Lisa Morton has written three excellent books about Halloween history, as
Category: fortune telling games
Forgotten Halloween Fortunes
I’ve written about the Halloween fortune telling games in the old cards: kale-picking, apple-peeling, and mirror games. And I’ve talked about how some of the
Making Halloween Difficult
Halloween used to be a time for regular people to cast spells and get their fortune told. “Good Christians” could be reassured that this was
Apple Peels for Love
Along with the mirror “spell,” apples appeared in many divination games at Halloween parties. Apples are common harvest fruits, and we’re familiar with bobbing for
Halloween Mirror of Love
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Halloween was a time for parties. These weren’t the elementary school kids parties with monsters and candy and haunted
Of Cabbages and…Kale?
The strangest Halloween cards usually depict lost or regional traditions. They’re odd because of the anachronism, not because the makers were insane (or at least
