31 DAYS DAY SEVEN VICTORIAN HAUNTINGS

 

         I have always felt  drawn to the Victorian age. It is such a study in contrasts. A repressive society in many aspects but also a society steeped in a deep interest in the occult. As Patricia Telesco comments "the average person still frequently followed superstitions and old sayings, went to seances, marked the moon phases, and even believed the body mirrored the order of the cosmos"  Patricia's book; A Victorian Grimoire is a wonderful book filled with fact and lore of the Victorian age, It also has some great ideas and recipes for Halloween :

In the chapter called  A Kitchen Dance there are great recipe's for seasonal food including a Samhain Cake. Samhain is a celebrated sabbath that many heralded as the start of the new year. There is also a chapter called Parlour Divination  that covers all the different divination practices and Parlour games the Victorians enjoyed : Tarot, Palmistry, Phrenology (study of bumps in the head), Scrying (crystal ball) and Seances. I really enjoy this book and all its fun crafts and insight to the Victorian world

  The Victorians were also very literary. It was quite acceptable for a young lady to improve her self with books. Their favorite genres were of course Ghost Stories and the Supernatural. One of the greatest writers of Ghost stories of this time was J. Sheridan LeFanu. I enjoyed this book of classic ghost series from Dover Thrift. Great reads. I Hope You enjoyed the first week of 31 Days. Tomorrow starts Week 2! Witches &Wizards!