"On Hallowe'en, Ghosts and witches, bats and owls...," circa 1930

By the late 1800s, a distinct blend of Halloween traditions had emerged in the United States. The holiday was mostly an innocent celebration of mystery and fun into the 20th century, but friends and neighbors exchanged seasonal greeting cards that evoked Halloween's superstitious origins. This poetic example recalls ancient customs and beliefs about witchcraft and the spiritual world.