History of
HALLOWEEN
Evolution Of A Holiday
As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.
It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.
At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.
Snowbuddies Pumpkin S'morA happy trio of holiday figures has a merry old time, playfully stacking in totem-pole fashion. This darling decoration does double duty for fall and winter! Resin.
1 3/4" diameter x 4" high.
Fall Harvest Lip Balm
Soften lips with favorite seasonal flavors. Bewitchingly scented. .15 oz. net wt.
A set of four flavors, caramel apple ,candy corn, cinimin stick, and chocolate spice.
Spooky Bat Led Decoration
As the moon rises, a trio of bats takes flight, putting an eerie chill into the night! Color-change LED light adds spooky sparkle, making this figurine a perfect accessory for your Halloween haunt. Weight 0.7 lb. Polyresin. Three AG3 button cell batteries not included.
5 1/4" x 2" x 5 3/4" high.
Snowbuddies Witchly Attired
Too sweet to be truly spooky, this chubby-cheeked witch is all ready for a spirited night of trick-or-treat. A fanciful fall and winter decoration!
Resin. 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" high.
Frosted Ghost Light
A cheerful Halloween ghost strings holds up his “Boo” with pride!
Uses 3 AA batteries (not included). 7" x 5" x 10" high.
Bewitching Candleholder
Cartoony witch and her pumpkin pal are wickedly cute; tuck a votive candle inside to set this fanciful figurine aglow with Halloween fun.
Ceramic. 5" x 4 1/8" x 7 3/4" high.
Matey's Forever Figurine
A chubby-cheeked pirate and his canine captain prepare for a swashbuckling night of trick or treat. An enchanting scenario of a child’s delight on Halloween night!
Handmade by CloudWorks™. Weight 1 lb. Stone resin. 4 3/4" x 2 3/4" x 6" high.
Animated Witch Figurine
Put extra chills and thrills into Halloween with this spooky animated witch! Startlingly lifelike figurine adds spine-tingling fun to your decorating scheme.
Plastic and fabric. Three AA batteries not included. 4 1/4" diameter x 13" high.
Halloween Tealight Holder Set
Cast a haunting glow at your next Halloween bash! The chilling Jack-o-lantern and haunted house designs on these spooky seasonal stained-glass panels blaze with eerie color when backlit by a flickering tealight candle.
Set includes one of each design.Candles not included. Glass. Each holder is 3 1/4" x 2" x 4 7/8" high.
PLUSH WITCH DOLL
A cute plush witch bends and turns her arms, but try as she might she just can’t be spooky–only kooky!
Polyester. 24" high.
Halloween Glass Votive Holder
A votive candle's flame creates an eerie halo of light, as the colorful Halloween themed glass panels display flickering images of fright... truly a spine-tingling decorating delight!
Haunted-tree and candy motifs are just right for celebrating this creepily fun holiday. Glass with metal base. Candle not included.
3" x 3" x 3 1/4" high.
HALLOWEEN EARRINGS
Enamel-look pierced earrings. Ghost, 1/2" L.
$7.00 each
STUD EARRINGS IN PUMPKIN BOX
Olivine-color crystal pierced earrings in goldtone setting. Enamel-look metal pill box (1 3/4" H) with magnetic closure.
Spooky Halloween Watch
Silvertone case on 9" L Halloween-motif strap.
Spider, Cat
$19.00
Pumpkin Spice Bubble Bath
Home-baked goodness in a comforting bath. Help soothe muscles and soak away stress in a tubful of fragrant warm bubbles complemented with a comforting, light, sweet spicy pumpkin scent with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. 24 fl. oz.
Halloween Bath Time Body Paints
Each, 1.7 fl. oz. Ages 3 and up,,.Bubble Gum ,Candy Apple, and Cotton Candy
Set of 3
CHERISHED TEDDIES® ROBIN HOOD FIGURINES
Halloween is a collector's delight with these Cherished Teddies® dressed up like characters from the beloved story of Robin Hood. Marian, 2 3/4" H. Robin, 3" H. Resin
$18.00
Light-Up Jack-O-Lantern
Bring a colorful touch of fun to your Halloween haunt with this whimsical light-up pumpkin! Country-style carving and rustic rubbed finish make this figure a quaintly quirky and a little spooky housing for a flashing color-change LED light. An ideal window decoration! Polyresin with metal accents. Three AG3 button cell batteries not included.
4" diameter x 6" high.
ROOM & LINEN SPRAY
Add an aromatic touch of autumn harvest to any room. 4 fl. oz.
$12.00
Joanna Gamble of Virginia
Boutique and Gift Shop
This page was last updated on: August 5, 2010
