Today in Halloween: Let’s join the circus!

Here’s our latest look at vintage Halloween photos from the World Wide Web.

In my ongoing half-assed effort to guess about the origin of these pictures, I’m going to speculate that this photo depicts high schoolers in the area of Peru, Indiana, in the first half of the 20th century.

Why?

Because Peru has always been a haven for circus performers and the abundance of clowns in the picture makes me think these kids borrowed some of their parents’ professional makeup.

I don’t know what to make of the guy at lower right. Devil? Yellow peril?

Today in Halloween: Trick-or-treating trio

Here’s another vintage trick-or-treating picture from the vast resources of the Interwebs.

What I like about this picture is that – just guessing here – it’s a snapshot of three brothers, trying out their spooky masks before heading out to trick or treat.

Two of the kids are in what look like elf masks and hats, while the oldest (tallest, anyway) has what might be a clown mask.

Look closely at the oldest boy. He’s missing part of his left arm. Makes you wonder what happened.

If he’s anything like one of my uncles, he lived to a ripe old age and enjoyed tormenting kids with that abbreviated appendage. To this day, I have vivid memories of my Uncle Oren, who was missing a hand, and how he would good-naturedly tease me by poking his stump into my belly. We would laugh and laugh, but it was a little unnerving.

‘Til next time.

Today in Halloween: One is the loneliest trick-or-treater

I don’t think I ever went trick-or-treating by myself. Not that I was an in-demand Halloween night companion, but I pretty much always made the rounds with cousins and friends in town.

So there’s no snark from me about this solo trick-or-treater. Here’s hoping she (she rather than he? I’m thinking that’s a witch costume) joined up with a whole pack of trick-or-treaters at the end of her sidewalk.

And I’m hoping she has many happy Halloween memories to this day.

 

 

Today in Halloween: Creepy trick-or-treaters, outstanding in their field

It’s time for another vintage Halloween photo, a snapshot of trick-or-treating and masquerading long gone.

And good riddance.

This photo, undated but probably from sometime in the 1950s or earlier, has a weird vibe to it. Looks like a rural setting, maybe a Halloween photo of a bunch of classmates outside a school.

The paper bags that a couple of the kids are wearing are … interesting. Maybe they were from families too poor to afford masks. Or didn’t believe in Halloween.

It’s “Children of the Corn: The Early Years.”

The masks we do see are just unsettling, though. The little boy to the left, wearing overalls and a bow tie? That mask is freaky.

And what the hell is the teacher/parent/adult guardian wearing? That outfit must have given those kids nightmares for weeks afterward.

And that house, or church, in the background? What’s that in the upstairs window?

Just kidding.

 

Today in Halloween: A witch and … a what?

It’s time for another dip into the misty days of Halloween long gone. It’s another snapshot of creepy trick-or-treaters!

I’ve been trying to run some of these masks through Google image search, hoping I can identify them.

The little kid on the left is, obviously, a witch. It’s a pretty classic mask, hat and outfit.

But the guy on the right? A Google image search mostly produced photos of bald old men from Russian websites. True story.

So, based on the bumpy skin, the big pointy teeth and the outfit that looks like it might be some kind of medieval armor, I’m gonna say this kid was ahead of his time and decades ahead of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” costume designers.

Looks like an orc to me.

Today in Halloween: Spooky farm boy trick-or-treaters

I grew up on a farm out in the country, so I know that there’s not always time to run into town and shop for Halloween costumes. Especially back 40 or 50 years ago, when Halloween costumes were in short supply.

So you get yourself a mask and some of dad or grandpa’s clothes and you make do, dagnabbit!

So while there’s familiarity to today’s installment of unsettling – even creepy – vintage trick-or-treaters, there’s also a little chill.

Maybe it’s the rosy red cheeks and hair bow (I think?) on the kid on the right.

Maybe it’s the authentic, backwoods-feeling addition of the cap on lefty.

I did a Google image search of the mask on the right and it gave me dozens of Facebook photos of women with blonde hair and heavily made-up faces.

Personally, I’d be insulted if I were them.

Today in Halloween: More creepy trick-or-treaters

No, nothing creepy about that picture at all.

As part of our continuing series of snapshots – many of them vintage – of old Halloween costumes and trick-or-treaters, we present this picture, undated but certainly from the mid 1900s or earlier.

Maybe it’s the lack of costumes other than the masks.

Maybe it’s the pose, the body language that says, “Please, father, would you finish taking the picture?”

That or, “When you wake up in the middle of the night we’re going to be standing by your bed wearing these masks.”

Or maybe it’s just the ears on the little boy.

 

Today in Halloween: Creepy trick-or-treaters

You may have seen some of these scattered around the Interwebs or you might not have; they’re not as ubiquitous as awkward family photos.

As an occasional feature here during Halloween season, I’m going to show some of the best, creepiest, in some cases most nightmarish old Halloween costume photos I found online.

There’s some pretty creepy trick-or-treaters among these. Most of them are vintage and black and white, which only adds to the spooky appeal.

Kicking off our series is this early 20th century kid in a jester costume. Hmmm. He’s not especially creepy … oh dear god, he’s holding a human head! And he’s looking to collect treats in it!