It was during the Regency when Mary Shelley published “Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus.” The Creature, commonly called today Frankenstein’s monster, is a major part of modern-day Halloween. It’s used in advertising, television shows, and movies. It’s everywhere. I was putting up my decorations (Frankenstein’s monster included), which got me thinking about Halloween during the Regency. Did people celebrate it? Was it widely celebrated like it is today? Most people are familiar with Halloween’s Celtic origins and the many ways it’s celebrated today, but they’re not familiar with how societies celebrated it in the past.
Halloween during the Regency era wasn’t the big to-do like today. It was popular in areas with Celtic origins like Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, but you weren’t likely to be invited to a grand masquerade ball in London. Still, Halloween in Celtic areas was more hiring fairs, bonfires, and fortune-telling games than costume parties. Popular games included tossing apple peelings over one’s shoulder. A woman would peel an apple and toss the peeling over her shoulder. The discarded peeling was to create the initial of her future husband. Another popular game was Bobbing for Apples (a game still popular among many.) In historical times however the initials of each player were carved into an apple. Each player then retrieved an apple, and the person whose initials they drew was their future spouse.
In England, however, Guy Fawkes Day was the more popular holiday. In 1605 Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic rebels planned to blow up Parliament. On the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes was caught before he could ignite the gun powder. This event is known as the Gun Powder Plot, and it created Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes Day was typically celebrated with a large bonfire to represent the failed attempt on Parliament.
So, if you prefer historical accuracy when reading Regency books, I advise caution when choosing one centered around Halloween. However, if it takes place in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, or a neighboring English village, it’s more plausible than a London setting. But keep an open mind when choosing. If the location is London, maybe the main character (or the host) has Celtic heritage. Furthermore, toeing the line of society is often exciting in a story.
Have you read any Halloween-themed Regency books? What did you think? Were they more historically accurate or modern? Let me know in the comments or send me an email. Happy Halloween, everyone.
Meredith Lamonica 