Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: party invitations

Eight years after Alice Graybill and her sisters held their Halloween party at 718 North Plum Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the 1920 United States Federal Census recorded that the Graybills still lived at the same address. Alice was 31 years old in 1920, and she worked as a weaver in a silk mill. The census listed Alice as the owner of the home and the head of the household. There were six family members living at the house on Plum Street that year: -- Alice W. Graybill, 31, single, head of the house, weaver, silk mill -- Susan W. Graybill, 29, sister, weaver, silk mill -- Ada W. Graybill, 27, sister, cleaner, silk mill -- Weidler Graybill, 25, brother, machinist, machine shop -- Marie Graybill, 15, sister, winder, silk mill -- Grace Graybill, 12, sister, no occupation listed So at the time of their Halloween party in 1912, Alice and her sisters would have been about 23, 21, 19, 7, and 4 years old (perhaps they allowed brother Weidler at age 17 to attend, too). Alice eventurally married, and as Alice Graybill Harrington (1888-1969) she lived to the age of 80. For some other early twentieth-century Halloween invitations, see: -- Witches Watch Halloween Party Invitation, October 31, 1914 -- A Halloween Masquerade Invitation! October 23, 1920 -- Greetings for Halloween—Invitation for Revelry on Mystic Halloween, 1923 Yourself and friend are cordially invited to attend A Hallowe'en Party to be given at the home of Alice Graybill and sisters On Thursday evening, October the thirty-first nineteen hundred and twelve No. 718 North Plum Street, Lancaster, Pa. R.S.V.P.

I'm guessing that a masquerade held near the end of the month of October in the year MCMXX (or 1920 in Arabic numerals) would have had something to do with Halloween. One of the classes—juniors, sophomores, or freshmen—at an unidentified high school or college evidently created this invitation to ask the seniors to come to a party "garbed in costumes appropriate for th' occasion." Also, someone used a pencil on the invitation to darken the masquerader's ruffle and add lines to some of the squares in the plaid clothing design. A Masquerade! When? Saturday, October 25, MCMXX at 7:30 o'clock. Where? In the Conference Rm., News Bld'g. Hark, ye seniors: come garbed in costumes appropriate for th' occasion.

"You are invited to attend a Hallowe'en party to be given by the employees of the Lancaster Stanley-Warner Theatres at the Capitol, Saturday nite, November 1, 11:30 p.m. This invitation admits one. Fifty cents." For other vintage Halloween party invitations, see Witches Watch Halloween Party Invitation, October 31, 1914 , Halloween Party Invitation with Bat and Witch , Come to a Hallowe'en Party , and Yooooo Are Invited to a Halloween Party (below),

"Witches Watch - Oct. 31st, '14. 8:00 p.m. - Masks! 2439 No. Eleventh Street. Admission - 25¢. ea. Guess you know who all!" Handwritten note on the back of the invitation: "George: Let me know if you come and how --singles or doubles! Marg. Hunsicker, 2852 N. Orkney St." A hundred-year-old Halloween party invitation! The flustered jack-o'-lanterns appear to be printed die-cut pumpkin shapes, but I'm not certain whether the witch silhouette was cut by hand or from a die. After using Google to search for the addresses (2439 N. Eleventh Street and 2852 N. Orkney Street), I believe that the location is probably Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I was surprised to discover that I couldn't find any precedent for the term "Witches Watch." I assumed that watching for the appearance of witches would be a common activity--and party theme--during the Halloween season, but the only reference to a similarly named event that I was able to locate came from the Spokane Daily Chronicle , Oct. 21, 1937, p. 3: "'Witches' Watch Halloween Ball. Chewelah, Wash., Oct. 21--(Special.)--Witches and pumpkins of paper decorated the Masonic hall Wednesday night when the Eastern Star held its invitational dance. Refreshments were served." Or perhaps I have it all wrong--maybe the witches are the ones who are doing the watching. Or--on a sillier note--could it refer to a timepiece worn by witches? Any other sightings of "Witches Watch" out there?

"Come take a stir at the witches brew / And see what fate holds through the year for you." "At the stroke of 8. On Fri., Oct. 25th. Place 548 S. 19th St. Edna Gerber. 'MASK.'" A beckoning witch invites potential partygoers to come stir the witches' brew. For the complete invitation, see Halloween Party Invitation with Bat and Witch .

"This bat comes from the witches' den to summon you!" A wide-eyed bat that reveals a Halloween party invitation when unfolded. For the complete invitation, see Halloween Party Invitation with Bat and Witch .

A unique invitation for a Halloween party that probably took place in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Friday, October 25, 1929. The bat at left unfolds to reveal the witch at right opening her arms to invite potential partygoers to "see what fate holds through the year for you." For separate views of the bat and witch, see This Bat Comes from the Witches' Den to Summon You! and Come Take a Stir at the Witches' Brew .

A vintage Halloween party invitation. "Yooooo are invited to a party at my house on Nov. 7 at 7:30 o'clock. Laura Wakley, Y.C.S. Pal."

A vintage Halloween party invitation. "Come to a Hallowe'en party at the home of Alma Groff on Tues. eve., Oct. 31, from 8:30 to xxxx o'clock."