ALTHOUGH mother says that you are not old enough to stay up late for
a Hallowe’en frolic, very likely she’ll let you have a party in the
afternoon. You can darken the rooms and have just as good a time as if
it were an evening party. Now’s the time to go to your “dress-up” trunk
or barrel and get out all the treasures you have put away there. Buy
masks, so that each of your friends will have one, for it wouldn’t be
Hallowe’en without “dressing up,” would it?
Have ready a rather shallow box (about six inches deep) filled with
sawdust, and in this box bury a number of gifts—one for each child whom
you have invited. You will need a small shovel, too.
Have ready also several quarts of peanuts, plenty of red apples, and
the favors which come in the form of walnuts. These you can make
yourself, if you like, by cracking walnuts carefully so that the halves
will be perfect. Place inside the shell one of the printed “fortunes,”
which you can buy, and glue the two halves of the shell together. If
you make the “magic” walnuts yourself, only do one at a time, or else
you will have trouble putting the halves of the shell together.
When your friends arrive you can invite them to “dress up” in the masks
and clothes which you have ready, and then you can have a jolly time
playing “Going to Jerusalem,” “Spin the Platter,” “Magic Music” and
others. Then all can unmask.
Now invite your guests to sit down at small tables, or they may all
draw up before a large table, and give each twenty peanuts, a saucer
and a long hat pin. When the signal is given, each must spear the
peanuts, one at a time, with the hat pin, and put them in the saucer.
This is quite a good deal harder than it sounds. A prize should reward
the one who finishes first.
Next fill a tumbler with flour, press it down tightly and turn it out
in a mold. Stick a dime (which you have washed) in the top of this
mold and set it on a small table. Form in line and march around the
table, and each in turn must cut a slice from the mold, straight down.
Whosever slice makes the mold fall in, must lift out the dime with his
teeth.
Shadow pictures will be a great deal of fun. Stretch a sheet across the
room and divide the company into two groups. Arrange a light so that
shadow pictures can be made on the screen. Now let the first group go
“behind the scenes,” and one after the other pass between the light
and the curtain. The audience must guess “Who’s who,” so, of course,
the others must try to fix themselves up so that their shadows will
not be recognized. After all of the first group have been guessed, the
second group can be “actors.”
[Illustration: A Hallowe’en Party.]
“Bobbing for apples” means a tub of water and a great deal of
splashing, so mother would probably say “No.” Instead, hang the apples
on strings from the ceiling, and try to bite them, while your hands are
tied behind you.
When you are tired of this, announce a “Trip to the Klondike.” Lead the
way to your sawdust box and let each in turn dig till he finds a gift
wrapped in yellow paper.
You’ll be ready for supper by this time, and when you see the
dining-room table you’ll say “Oh!” Mother will have a yellow pumpkin
jack-o’-lantern in the center, and here and there over the table she
has placed little black cats, and doll witches and brownies. The
sandwiches will be served on wooden plates decorated with black cats.
Beside these, she will have for you gingerbread, cookies, nuts, fruits
and nut candies. Of course, she hasn’t forgotten the Hallowe’en cake in
which is baked a thimble, a new penny and a ring.
Try this party and see what a good time you’ll have.