A Victorian Halloween

by Kimberly Keagan
October 31, 2024

Don’t let the idea of the restrained Victorian fool you — they knew how to throw a party! Halloween was no exception, and the Victorians celebrated it with a sense of charm, mystery, and even a touch of romance.

Halloween — which grew out of the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain and the spiritual observance of All Hallows’ Eve — in the Victorian era wasn’t the costume-and-candy-fest we know today. Instead, it was an elegant opportunity for young people to gather, flirt, and possibly even find love. For young women and men, Halloween was a rare chance to escape strict social codes for an evening of mystery and mischief.
Mischief, Romance, and the Harvest Spirit
October 31st brought with it a playfulness that would have seemed scandalous on any other night. Known as “Mischief Night” in some parts of Victorian England and America, young people would pull pranks like ringing doorbells, swapping garden gates, or tipping flowerpots. But this night was more than harmless trickery. It was steeped in folklore and a touch of the supernatural, as spirits were thought to be wandering the earth. It was a moment to celebrate the end of the harvest, acknowledge the unseen, and look forward to the future.

While today’s Halloween focuses on candy and costumes, Victorian Halloween emphasized a harvest feast. Hosts served up apples and nuts, both central symbols of the season. Apples were often glazed in a syrup of sugar, water, and butter, then browned over a bonfire, a precursor to the candy apple. There was also the Halloween Dump Cake, baked with a hidden ring, coin, and button. Whoever found the ring would be the first to marry; the coin signified a prosperous future, while the unfortunate button meant singlehood awaited!

Costumes: Whimsy and Wonder
Costumes weren’t new to the Victorian celebration of Halloween; they were an essential part of the night’s festivities. Popular choices included witches, ghosts, bats, cats, and even devils, though in typical Victorian style, costumes leaned toward whimsical rather than frightening. Some chose to dress as beloved characters like Little Bo Peep, Mother Goose, or Harlequins, bringing a playful and literary touch to the evening.

Victorian homes were decorated to match the festive mood. Hostesses created elaborate settings, using harvest-themed centerpieces and doorways draped with hanging apples and horseshoes. Black cats, bats, and witches were just as popular then as they are now. And, of course, the Victorians couldn’t resist the eerie effect of candlelight and jack-o’-lanterns — flickering, carved gourds that paid homage to “Jack of the Lantern,” the Irish trickster forever caught between Heaven and Hell.

Fortune-Telling, Romance, and “Spooky Games”
A Victorian Halloween was as much about fate and the supernatural as it was about fun. Halloween games often revolved around divination and romance. Unmarried guests were eager to play the “Magic Mirror” game, where young women would stare into a mirror at midnight, hoping to glimpse their future husband’s reflection.

Victorians were famously fascinated by spiritualism, and Halloween was the perfect occasion for séances and Ouija boards. Ghost stories, especially by candlelight, were a Halloween must — Edgar Allan Poe’s macabre tales were favorites. For those looking to test their courage, games like “Snapdragon,” where guests attempted to catch raisins from a bowl of flaming brandy, added a dash of daring and whimsy to the evening.