Halloween Activities

We'll need to celebrate Halloween a bit differently this year... so we are sharing some at-home, fun, 1920s Halloween activities and crafts for you to partake in with your little ghosts and goblins! Due to COVID-19, Haunted Village event is cancelled this year. 

Activities

• Download and print our Halloween colouring sheet [PDF - 306 KB]
• Decorate a room or create a homemade table centrepiece with construction paper cutouts of cats, bats, witches and pumpkins. Add in real apples, squash and gourds if you can. 
• Play these historic fortune-telling games!
• Each player lightly tosses their pair of slippers into the air and then read their fortune using this code:
• Both upside down but not touching – suggest a lifetime of travel
• Both right side up but not touching – suggests a career in the performing arts
• Both touching but not crossed – suggests an early marriage
• Both crossed, one on the other – suggests wealth
• Or make up your own combinate and fortune 
• If you have a hand turned apple peeler try to remove the peel of an apple in one single unbroken strip. Toss the unbroken or the longest strip of peel you created over your right shoulder. The shape on the floor reveals the first initial of your true loves name.

Recipes

Try making these Halloween treats! 

Taffy Apples

What you need:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup vinegar
• ½ cup water
• firm red apples and skewers

Directions:

1. Heat while stirring ingredients in a large pot on the stovetop until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. The ingredients will have become a very hot syrup.
2. Inset skewers into one end of each apple and carefully dip each apple into the hot syrup.
3. Once coated with taffy place the apples on a wax paper covered tray to cool. Allow to completely cool before enjoying.

Popcorn Balls

What you need:

• ½ cup molasses
• ½ cup dark corn syrup
• ½ table spoon vinegar
• 1 ½ table spoons butter
• 6 cups of cooked popcorn

Directions:

1. Combine molasses, corn syrup and vinegar in a large pot and heat on the stovetop, stirring often.
2. Once the candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees add the butter and constantly stir the mixture until the mixture reaches 270 degrees.
3. In a large heatproof bowl or pan, slowly pour the syrup over the cooked popcorn.
4. Carefully press the mixture into about 10 small balls (2½“diameter) and place on a wax paper lined tray to cool.

Activities and recipes come from The Delineator, a popular magazine published from the late 1800 – 1937. The magazine was well known for its sewing and embroidery patterns (for both clothing and household décor) as well as party ideas and holiday crafts.

Have a wonderful Halloween season. We hope to celebrate with you again in 2021!