Fun For Halloween Night is an article written in the year 1913 from an old newspaper which describes a few vintage style Halloween party games such as the Three Bowls game that was played by children during Halloween time.
The Three Bowls Halloween game is a very old one that has been played, it is said, for more than two hundred years.
Three bowls are placed on a table. The first bowl contains a little milk, the next a little water and the third is empty. Then the players are blindfolded and told to touch the contents of one of the bowls. If the person who is "it" touches the bowl with milk in it, she will marry a widower and have to take care of lots of step-children. If it is a boy, he will marry a woman who has been married before, and who has at least half a dozen children. If the girl touches the bowl with water in it, she will marry a dark, handsome young man, the legend goes, or if it is a boy, then he will marry one equally beautiful. If either of them touches the empty bowl, then neither will ever marry.
Another good game is to light a number of small candles, each child choosing one, and place them near an open window. The one whose candle remains longest alight will live the longest.
Another good game is to hang a large sheet across the end of a room. Have a light behind it. Divide the groups of children into two parties, one to take part and the other to be guessers. The children behind the curtain pass between it and the light and those in front must guess from their silhouettes who they are. This allows for a great deal of acting, for the youngsters behind the curtain may change their walk, etc., as to disguise themselves as much as possible.
The same curtain may be used for an "eye" or a "feet" show. This is played by one person standing behind the sheet with holes cut so that just her eyes are visible. Those outside pass in review before the eyes, and when all have passed, say who they think she is. The same thing can be done when those behind show just their feet.
If there is an open fire, then there a number of good, old games possible to be played. Chestnuts may be roasted, and the one whose chestnut pops the first is the first to be married. Another good idea is to have a number of nuts to crack. Take English walnuts, remove the meat, and if you wish them to be very gay, paint them with gilt. Write a funny little fortune in milk on an ordinary paper and tuck a fortune in each shell. Then glue both halves together. Gather the children round the fire and tell them to crack these nuts carefully. They will take out the pieces of paper that apparently have nothing on them, but tell them to hold the paper towards the open fire and they will see wonders. The heat makes the milk writing visible, and each child, as her fortune comes into sight, should read it aloud.