Divination Games: Love, Apples, Mirrors and Nuts

Before Halloween became mainly about horror, many parties were obsessed with one question: who will I marry?

Episode 17 of The Depths of Halloween. Elias, Mara and the Archivist debate the history, folklore and modern claims behind Divination Games: Love, Apples, Mirrors and Nuts. The production distinguishes documented history from folklore and later reinterpretation where the evidence is uncertain.

Estimated scripted runtime: about 15.5 minutes before performance pacing.

Topics in this episode

• Romance before horror
• Apples
• Mirrors and danger
• Why fortune games faded

Sources and further reading

• Library of Congress: The Origins of Halloween Traditions
• Library of Congress: Halloween: Topics in Chronicling America
• Smithsonian Magazine: The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating
• Smithsonian Magazine: When Halloween Was All Tricks and No Treats
• HISTORY: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth