Iconic holiday has long been celebrated.

A11

David Goss

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There's no doubt that Halloween has grown in popularity during the past half century. In the fifties about the only decoration seen were lit pumpkins, and then only on Oct. 31 itself.

Enlarge Photo

Photo from Elizabeth Toy of the Waycott Children dressed for Hallowe’en in the late thirties.

Today, lawns and side yards are decorated with ghouls, goblins, spirits and specters, witches and werewolves, and many other fearsome creates from Thanksgiving Day onwards. It's all a lot of fun, largely made possible by the plastic age and electric age we live in.

However, most of the other elements of the season can be found to have been marked by our ancestors throughout New Brunswick, as the following examples will show.

In Saint John the Daily Sun, of Monday, November 1 1909 reported:

"Saturday was generally observed about the city as Hallowe'en. The joyful pranks and jokes of the boys and girls were not so numerous as in other years.

Many private parties were held such as that of Miss Mary Sandall of Orange Street, who entertained, and all the "old time Hallowe'en games and customs were participated in and enjoyed by members of the PICNIC Club."

Another portion of the report noted, "In the schoolroom of the Queen Square Methodist Church a Hallowe'en party was held ... there was a large attendance ... many games were offered for amusement... refreshments including apples, nuts and confectionary were served."

In a pre Halloween activity report, the Sun commented on one custom of the night that would be hard to replicate today, as the era of shipbuilding in the city is long past.

"The small boy will celebrate Hallowe'en this evening and householders will expect he will repeat the old tricks of blowing oakum through keyholes ... an act that will cause more annoyance than harm." (Oakum was tar-soaked strands of rope-like material forced between the planks of the ships to make them watertight. When lit, it smoked profusely.)

The St. Croix Courier of Nov. 6, 1909, had a column noting on Deer Island

"A most enjoyable Hallow'en supper was held at the residence of Mrs. William Whalen on Saturday evening where a good crowd assembled"¦"

The Moncton Daily News the week following Halloween of a hundred years past carried reports of all the outlying communities, but only that of Harcourt mentioned Hallowe'en in any great detail.

"Hallowe'en was celebrated on Saturday evening with the usual Hallowe'en festivities. Misses Bessie and Jean Backerfield entertained a number of young friends at supper followed by the usual games. A very enjoyable evening was spent. The dining room was decorated in true Hallowe'en style. Witches and bats in lifelike array played a prominent part. The table presented a picturesque if somewhat gruesome appearance. From the chandelier to the four corners of the table were strung witches and bats in black and red. The centre was occupied by the witches and the table was also decorated with these grotesque figures. The wee boys and girls were entertained from six till nine by Miss Doris Buckley"¦.( in the dining room which was) prettily decorated in yellow and green, with bright autumn leaves"¦(with) yellow pumpkins holding wax candles"¦used with good effect."

If newspapers carried community news today as they did in times past, this report could be repeated verbatim as an example of what happens in many a home to this day at Halloween.