Oct 16, 2017 |
By Stephanie Carroll @CarrollBooks
Author Stephanie Carroll at The Irwin Street Inn by Corey Ralston
Note: I met Stephanie a few years ago when she spoke at the local writers’ club. Within three minutes we knew we would be great friends. Her novel, A White Room, is based on one of my favorite college reads, The Yellow Wallpaper. And she had purple hair and nail polish. Awesome, right! How could you not like someone like that?
I am so excited to have her come on board as a contributing blogger for Frankly, My Dear. She’s been very eager to share her Victorian and Gothic wisdom with y’all, and I just know you’re going to like her as much as I do. This month, she explains how some modern celebrations started.
~Mj
Halloween is a tradition that dates back to the Celtic Samian new year’s harvest festival, and over time each generation has added their own spice to the holiday that we still gleefully enjoy today.
By the time the Victorians had gotten a hold of Halloween, it was all about having fun!
The Victorians contributed to modern Halloween both intentionally by how they celebrated and unintentionally through their own macabre culture.
So let’s take a note from our late nineteenth century spooks and enjoy this Halloween in Victorian style!
- Crafts & Decorations
If you want some fantastic ideas for unique and traditional looking decorations, you have to read about what the Victorians did. They didn’t have store-bought cobwebs and Spirit Halloween stores. They did everything themselves.
They got really creative by doing things like putting out tin plates filled with green flames using alcohol and salts and making hand-made party favors or clever invitations often containing bewitching rhymes:
Come at the witching hour of eight
And let the fairies read your fate;
Reveal to none this secret plot
or woe—not luck—will be your lot!
For more, check out my post on Victorian Halloween Decorations or a wonderfully cited article by Lesley Bannatyne (from which the above poem was taken). For great ideas of a modern Victorian take, check out, as always, Pinterest!
- Halloween Parlor Games
The Victorians were all about playing games. They loved things like blind man’s bluff and bobbing for apples in addition to games of the more spooky variety. Young girls and boys had an entire host of spells and charms that would predict their future mates. These included things like walking downstairs backwards in complete silence while eating an apple and holding a mirror up to look for the face of a true love to appear – sounds a little dangerous to me!
Speaking of danger …
Unfortunately, at least one young woman suffered severe consequences for such games. In a news article from the time, a girl ate a whole chicken heart hoping that it would somehow predict her future, but it lodged in her throat and created an abscess, which later burst, and the blood choked her to death. Read the clipping in Lesley Bannatyne’s article.
Don’t worry, according to Bannatyne they also enjoyed more whimsical games like “Kissing the Blarney Stone,” where a blindfolded guest tried to find a white stone set on a table by kissing for it. They also told scary stories as did the most popular newspapers and magazines of the day, many of which focused on sensationalism and romance as the ultimate theme.
- Parties
The Victorians loved parties and even Queen Victoria herself partook in some awesome Halloween festivities. The Victorians were not afraid to toy with the occult in their celebrations. They often did seances, spells (some historical, others fabricated in good fun) and of course the thrilling haunted house.
One such haunted party mentioned in Bannatyne’s article was a haunted cellar set up in a real cellar. It included dripping water, shredded paper hanging from the ceiling, a hidden electric fan and a good old scare. Upon entering the haunted cellar, guests might be grabbed by a wet hand or have a paper bag burst over their heads.
- Costumes
As time went on, parties turned into theme parties and parades, so of course costumes were an obvious addition. Costumes were a big part of Halloween origins from Celtic and All Saints Day traditions.
Well then, wouldn’t this be a tradition we kept from the original festival? Not exactly.
According to History.com costumes weren’t as popular until after the Potato Famine of 1846, which drove thousands of Irish immigrants to the US and elsewhere. Their traditions, which were closer to the original Celtic practices re-popularized things like costumes.
Then, according to History.com, around the turn of the century community leaders and newspapers encouraged people to not focus so much on the occult practices, but instead to look at the holiday as a time for happy get togethers. After that, costumes and general Halloween practices became less symbolic of old religious practices and more hokey.
- Trick or Treat!
Another tradition that came out of the influx of Irish immigrants, according to History.com, was a practice of dressing up and going from house to house asking for food or money.
This ultimately evolved into our day of glorious candy feasting. Oh, and it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that Halloween became a kid-centered holiday, so the town of Bathurst, which has prohibited trick-or-treating after the age of 16, isn’t following traditional protocols! Tisk! Tisk! ;-)
- Spiritualism
Spiritualism was and continues to be a religion born out of the Fox Sisters’ claims to hear ghosts wrap-tap-tapping on their tables and doors. Although not intentionally Halloween related, we’ve taken a few liberties from this originally Victorian tradition.
Spiritualism grew in popularity through the 1920s as a way to contact passed loved ones. It is mainly known for seances with mediums, some of which were fakes, others … who knows?
For more on Spiritualism, check out author Nicole Evelina’s post or the article on Victorian Web. You can also check out BBC’s article on Modern Spiritualism.
- Creepy Photos
As soon as Victorians realized they could play around with photos, they went nuts! They loved using trick photography to put in ghouls and goblins or make it look like they were holding their own decapitated heads.
Spiritualists produced a huge body of creepy photos as well, many of which claim to show ghostly ectoplasm hovering nearby or even emanating from individuals. Some have what appear to be humanistic qualities or impressions within the viscous or goopy looking smoke.
Death Photography was a tradition wherein people took photos of the deceased. Whether it was to protect their souls or just to remember them by, it produced some creepy works. These works were a part of what we know as mourning culture.
How does Victorian photography come into play with Halloween? This is another unintentional influence. Scary movies, like The Others, make use of Victorian photography all the time, and scary movies are abound during Halloween.
And let’s not forget Disney’s Haunted Mansion, the ballroom of which was inspired by the Winchester Mystery House.
- Death & Mourning Culture
The Victorians were obsessed with death. There were many factors at play that explains why this is, but what it left us with was an entire cannon of macabre associations that we call upon during Halloween, particularly from the elaborate shows made out of funerals, which led to some amazing graveyards.
For more check out my posts on Why the Victorians were Obsessed with Death and Little Known Facts About Victorian Mourning Culture. Although it’s not directly connected to Victorians, All Saints’ Day also contributes a lot of the Halloween associations we today.
- Gothic Literature
Though the Victorians didn’t necessarily know or intend it, much of our current Halloween culture actually comes out of Victorian Gothic literature like Dracula, The Strange Tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, Turn of the Screw and The Phantom of the Opera, just to name a few.
For more on Gothic Victorian literature, check out this article on Horror Novel’s Review.
- Creepy Houses
Something else the Victorians gave us for Halloween without ever knowing it was creepy haunted looking houses. From the Second Empire style, which inspired the house in Psycho, to Gothic Revival, which reinvented the Gothic architecture for which the genre of Gothic literature is named, that old nineteenth century house down the street is freaking us all out, especially around Halloween!
For more, check out my post on What Makes Victorian Houses Seem so Haunted.
For more on Halloween history and traditions, check out these awesome posts by authors Essie Fox, Lesley Bannatyne and Mimi Matthews.
I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you all have a Happy Halloween! A big thank you to Molly for inviting me to share creepy Victorian stuff on her blog.
TWEET THIS: 10 Ways the #Victorians Contributed to Modern-Day #Halloween @RealMojo68 @CarrollBooks
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
About Stephanie Carroll:
Stephanie Carroll
Stephanie Carroll writes Gothic Victorian and Magical Realism fiction. Her debut novel, A White Room, was USA Book News’ 2013 Cross-Genre Winner and was featured as a favorite cover in Shelf Unbound Magazine. As a reporter and community editor, Stephanie earned first place awards from the National Newspaper Association and the Nevada Press Association. She holds degrees in history and social science.
Sign up for her quarterly newsletter, Coming Unhinged with Stephanie Carroll, and find her @CarrollBooks on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, and Pinterest. Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & www.stephaniecarroll.net
Click on the photos to shop Stephanie’s books:
Oct 15, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, On Faith.
Magical Thinking. It’s creating the dots that connect “A” to “B”. If I wake up at 5:38 exactly, it’s a sign I should buy a lottery ticket. Or Because I drank two cups of coffee, the tree sprouted new growth.
Magical Thinking, based on superstitions, is faith gone awry.
Faith believes things will happen due to God’s sovereignty,
not because of our own actions.
Magical Thinking removes God from the equation. Miracle Thinking (Faith) understands that we don’t understand, but still we know it’s going to be okay. Magical Thinking says we will force the square peg into the round hole and explain it later. Miracle Thinking says God works outside the governing laws of dynamics, and He has made all things, and continues to renew all things, so if and when He wants, that square peg will adjust, that round hole will adjust, and they will fit together at the right time. Magical Thinking forces. Miracle Thinking believes.
Faith doesn’t ask for proof of what it is. Faith is the proof of what we believe. Faith is the dots we connect from lifepoint to lifepoint, knowing it all points back to the One who created all Life.
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
~Hebrews 11:1 NLT
How does your faith prove God to your world?
Frankly, On Faith: Faith is Not Magical
TWEET THIS: Tweet: How does your faith prove God to your world? @RealMojo68 #franklyonfaith
TWEET THIS: #Faith believes things will happen due to God’s sovereignty, not because of our own actions. @RealMojo68
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Oct 14, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Earlier this week, the unthinkable happened. I couldn’t get into Facebook. Or Instagram. Not terribly heart-attack inducing, until my cohort Irene messaged me “Please tell me your Facebook account wasn’t deleted!” So of course, I did the only thing I could: I panicked.
I Googled “Facebook broke” and whoa-hoh. The ensuing disaster happened before my internet eyes. There in digital black and white was confirmation that both sites were down, and had been for a few hours, worldwide.
Now, my peeps are often scaring warning preparing me for the apocalyptic EMP that will someday take the world wide web, and my life, down with it. Can I just say this little glimpse into the future did not–I repeat, did not–make the warm and fuzzies show up.
The worst was when no one else could access their accounts, either. Or maybe that was the best. I mean, at least I wasn’t alone in my aloneness. Know what I mean?
Thoughts in rapid-fire succession came to me:
- How will I contact my besties?
- How can I blog?
- How long will this last?
- Do I have any other survival skills?
- Why can’t I feel my fingertips?
- When will the room stop spinning?
- How long before my dead body is found, crumpled in a heap at the foot of my MacBook Pro?
Don’t laugh.
I made good use of my five minutes of rediscovery. I made a meme. Only thing was, I couldn’t post it until the event was over.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Day the Internet Broke
Sure. It’s funny now. But not during. It was a hit to my social media funny bone.
So let’s not do it again, web.
[Note to self: Remember the digital isn’t the only world out there. I know, I’m laughing too. But they say it’s true.]
Tell me, what do you do when your social media doesn’t work?
TWEET THIS: Social Media Saturday: The Day the Internet Broke @RealMojo68 #socialmedia #facebook #instagram
With a working connection and building connections,
Happy posting!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Oct 13, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
It’s late. It’s always late when I blog. And for the last few nights, Catford Manor’s hallway has been the feline focal point of things unseen.
You cat lovers, y’all know what I’m talking about. The furfamily pricks their ears, squints, and scurries into the shadows to meow at . . . nothing. At least I hope it’s nothing. Every night, I hope it’s nothing. When we first moved in so many years ago, the cabinet doors and drawers liked to open on their own about once a week. Until I let who–or what–ever it was, such antics were not acceptable.
The ravens love my rooftop and a few times throughout the year, they like to peck at the chimney cap and make more noise than I’m comfortable with. It’s all very Hitchcockian.
And very timely for today’s Five Things Friday: My favorite ghost stories.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Favorite Ghost Stories
So, I grew up in a small town in the midwest. The kind where kids rode bikes to the mini mart to buy sodas and candy bars before we took ourselves to the lake during summer, or the golf course after school. Mind you, we didn’t play golf. But the area was wooded, and lent itself to spooks and Bigfoot hunts. Growing up where and when I did was a great catalyst for my imagination. What follows are stories I have heard–or experienced–that have stayed with me.
- The Winchester House. Are y’all familiar with Winchester rifles? Sarah Winchester was the widow and heiress to rifle inventor, William Wirt Winchester. She built the mansion after his death. It was said to have been haunted by spirits of those killed by his lever-action repeating rifle. The house, now a tourist trap and historical landmark in San Jose, was built with odd rooms, doors that lead to nowhere, and windows inside that looked into other rooms. Sarah filled the home with representations of spiritualism, the number 13, and spider webs, all in attempts to appease the victim spirits of her husband’s weaponry.
Frankly, My Dear . . . The Winchester Mystery House
- The Queen Mary. This is one of my favorite, well, haunts, if you’ll pardon the expression. Balmy summer nights under neon port lights, walking the wood decks, there’s a definite feeling of more than meets the eye. A guided tour and literature detail past and present encounters. There are many rumors of ghosts and otherworldly events on the docked ship. [Note to self: Don’t stay in Room A128.] This old photo is out of focus, but captures the sentiment perfectly.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Queen Mary Prediction
- Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. I’ve heard many a rumor, but have yet to experience anything myself, except for the occasional unwarranted chill up my spine. It’s been said since the Haunted Mansion was built in 1969, there have been many unexplained paranormal activities. A pilot who died in a nearby crash haunts the dark hallways. Employees never work alone. Sounds, strange movements, and shadows all infiltrate the structure in a way not inspired or designed by Disney.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Ghost Carriage at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion
- The Grey Man of Pawley’s Island. I first read about him when I was nine. It was in a book, The Haunting of America, that I was so enamored with, I borrowed it from the library over and over and over. In fact, just a few years ago, I found an out-of-print copy and it still gives me the chills. The Grey Man appears on the island to warn residents of impending hurricanes. But the most chilling aspect is that he has no face. He wears a grey suit, a grey hat, and his skin is the grey of storm clouds. His faceless appearance in the sign to residents to leave immediately, or hunker down.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Grey Man of Pawley’s Island
- Stephen J. Cannell. Now, y’all may not believe this. Sometimes I wonder if it ever really happened. But this is my own personal story, so I know it to be true. In 2007, I sent SJC an email asking for writing advice. He turned that inquiry, and his response, into a short video for his website. Over the course of the following three years, we had a quasi-mentor relationship online. Facebook, Twitter, a few emails here and there. He was the first professional writer to acknowledge me, and to call me “Molly Jo”, not just “Molly”. And then in 2010 we met at a book signing. He died a few months later and it hit me hard. Oh, we weren’t close friends, but he was important to my writing. He inspired and encouraged me. And one morning about two weeks after his death, in the middle of October, I woke up to an email from Stephen J Cannell. It was the same email he’d sent me over three years earlier, the first response to my inquiry. And that same email, with the same video query encouraging me to write every day, kept showing up in my email inbox every day for a week. Until I started writing again. #truestory
Frankly, My Dear . . .: Meeting Stephen J Cannell
So there you have it. My five favorite ghost stories.
Curious: What are yours?
TWEET THIS: Five Things Friday: My Favorite Ghost Stories @RealMojo68 #haunted #fivethingsfriday #franklymydear #ghoststories
With a bright flashlight and a glow-in-the-dark notebook,
Haunted writing!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Oct 12, 2017 |
by William Kendall @WilliamKendall1
Ghost stories abound throughout the world, from isolated homes in the countryside to small towns and even large cities.
Especially when October comes around and our thoughts turn to ghosts, goblins, and jack-o-lanterns. Such is the case in Ottawa, which has a wealth of ghost stories in some unexpected places, and even a tour company, the Haunted Walk, with several tailored tours of the city’s core and spooky stories that go along with it. One of those locales just happens to be our most prestigious hotel.
Chateau Laurier in winter
The Chateau Laurier is right downtown, on the east bank of the Rideau Canal, across from Parliament Hill. It forms part of what’s called Confederation Square, and dates back a century now. It is luxurious, welcoming, and has hosted the great and the good over a hundred plus years. Politicians, dignitaries, and celebrities have spent time here. The great portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh ran his studios out of the Chateau for the latter part of his career. Photographs of the hotel’s grand history can be found within. It is a landmark and a national historic site, and rightfully so.
Charles Melville Hays
And it has its ghosts.
The Chateau has the look of a castle, built in the French Gothic Chateau style. It was part of the era of railroad luxury hotels, commissioned by the president of the Grand Trunk Railway in tandem with his Union Station across the street. Charles Melville Hays named it in honour of the prime minister who helped get it built, and dreamed of it as a crown jewel in his railway hotels. It’s certainly maintained that crown jewel status, which Hays would approve of. In a way, he never left.
Chateau Laurier and Ceremonial Guards
The hotel was to open in late April, 1912. Hays and his family had gone to Europe so that the railroad baron could secure further investment and purchase antique furnishings for his new hotel, soon to be opened. Returning from overseas, Hays booked passage on a ship you might have heard of.
Titanic.
Long story short, an iceberg decided to teach the “unsinkable” ship a lesson in respect, the ship went down with 1500 souls aboard, and Hays, his son-in-law, and his secretary were among them. It was said that he noted of the fierce competition between ocean crossing cruise lines: “The time will come soon when this trend will be checked by some appalling disaster.”
His body was recovered, and he was buried in Montreal. The opening of the hotel was delayed two months out of respect for the dead. And yet his spirit seems to have lingered, occasionally seen or felt in the hotel, the last major project he’d worked on in life. A spectre matching his description is sometimes seen, as is the ghost of a child. Unseen presences are known to move doors, furniture, or objects. Sounds are heard in rooms where no one should be.
In 2012, the centennial of the official opening was held, with the hotel open for business, cake marking the occasion, and people in period clothing of the time strolling around its corridors and promenades. One of the images of that day that sticks with me (and which I wish I would have photographed) was a young woman in Edwardian era formal wear, descending a staircase… and checking her messages on her mobile. I wonder what Hays would have thought of that.
Chateau Laurier interior
The Chateau is an enchanting sight in the city, and a favourite photo subject for me. It remains the place to be seen today, with countless souls having had enjoyed its hospitality down through a century. Some of those souls appear to be staying there on a permanent basis… and in doing so have added to the mystique and character of the place.
What are some of your favorite haunts?
TWEET THIS: Photoblogger William Kendall: The Haunted Chateau Laurier @RealMojo68 @WilliamKendall1 #haunted
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
William Kendall
William Kendall is a photoblogger who finds the unique perspective in everyday life. You can follow him on his writing blog, Speak Of The Devil, his photoblog Ottawa Daily Posts, and Twitter @WilliamKendall1.
