S C A R Y  I N  L O V E

A century ago, before Halloween became known to be solely known as the spookiest of all holidays, numerous rituals associated with the holiday were about finding courtship, true romance, and love.

In Halloween decor and cards, the usual imagery suspects—jack-o-lanterns, witches, and black cats—were interspersed with the image of Cupid, couples, and depictions of some of the games played on the holiday, which were in the name of love. What were these peculiar games?

Before people bobbed for apples, they played Snap Apple: a strange contest in which players would use their teeth to bite apples that were hung from the ceiling by a string or ribbon, and the first to succeed, it was said, would be the first to get married.

Bobbing for Apples, initially, symbolized a foretelling of true love reciprocated.

And the apple mania continued: on Halloween it was believed that when people cut long strips of apple skin and tossed them over their shoulders, they could then look at the landed peel on the floor and determine which letter the peel resembled. The letter symbolized their suitors first initial.

And continued further! There was another tradition which involved people eating an apple in front of a mirror. Why? You may ask. It was said that it would allow for people to conjure images of their soul mate

But enough with the apples. There was another very nutty Halloween tradition in which people would place two chestnuts on a stove or fire. Each, it was said, would represent the people in the relationship and provide insight into whether or not the two were a good match. If the chestnut cracked or popped, the relationship was doomed because their parters love could be untrue.

On Halloween night, others would walk around a walnut tree three times while chanting, “Let him that is to be my true love bring me some walnuts.”After, the participant would see his or her future spouse picking walnuts in the tree.

While some were circling the walnut trees, others were walking backward in bright moonlight, while staring into hand mirrors and reciting incantations until, they hoped, the faces of their future spouses.

"Engaging" with these activities this Halloween? The SK Wedding Collection is full of treats, not tricks.