From the Archives: Halloween at UU Lansing
By Ed Busch
In this blog post, I’m looking at how Halloween has been celebrated here at UU Lansing and even before the merger of the Universalists and Unitarians. Unitarian Universalists (UUs) approach Halloween with a spirit of fun, community, and inclusiveness. Many UU congregations host Halloween events, including parties and festivals, that reflect their values of love, acceptance, and justice.
Historically, Universalist churches marked the fall season and Halloween with community-focused, non-dogmatic celebrations, much like today’s UU congregations. They often held events like corn festivals, masked socials or Hollowe’en (Halloween) parties. For instance, on Friday, November 6, 1903, the Sunday school class hosted a masked social where the church “was decorated with corn, jack-o’-lanterns, a pumpkin baby sat at the door of a small tent and all the lights were shaded with pumpkin globes.” The newspaper also noted that there were “some pretty and amusing costumes.”
Similarly, in 1904, the Lansing Journal reported a “jolly Hollowe’en evening” for children. In 1909, the church’s Sunday school hosted another “Hallowe’en party”, inviting all friends of the church, especially parents of children. Guests were asked to “bring a box supper and sheets” and the evening was spent with Hallowe’en games, fortune telling, and music.
Locally, the Unitarian Fellowship merged with the Universalists in 1957. The earliest post-merger mention of a a Halloween party in our archives was in 1969. The October 28 newsletter that year mentions a Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) Halloween party. By 1970, UU Lansing was participating in the “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” project. Mrs. John Scott of Holt, chairman of the Religious Education Committee, spoke about UNICEF’s mission and distributed containers to church school children for their Halloween trick-or-treating. This partnership continued for many years, later expanding to include collections of product wrappers from brands like Kool-Aid, Captain Crunch, Welch’s jam.
UNICEF Trick or Treat box given to the children to collect money.
The October 1973 newsletter announced church school Halloween party for Sunday evening, October 28 which featured “scares, games, and refreshments”. The following week’s newsletter shared more details: costume prizes, a spook house, door prizes, and ice cream sundaes. The organizers were still seeking old sheets, a black light, and makeup. The November 2 newsletter reported that the event was a “fantastically huge success”, thanks to the 7th and 8th graders who organized it.
Around 1974, the church’s Adult Enrichment Committee began hosting Friday movie nights. On Halloween 1975, the movie was Mad Monster Party starring Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller. This movie night program appears to have ended around 1977.
Image from 1975 Newsletter
Adult Halloween parties began in the late 1970s, with the October 24, 1977, newsletter promoting a Costume Party in the Social Hall. The event promised "Food! Fun! Frolic! Foolishness! Music! Dancing! Prizes! Conversation! Ghosts! Goblins! Witches! Wine!"
In 1978, there was a combination Halloween and Pledge drive party. By 1979, the annual Halloween party was in full swing with costume contests, including categories for the most humorous, creative, and hideous costumes. The photographs from these events show our members and friends having a wonderful time.
I hope you enjoyed this look back at Halloween celebrations of the past here at UU Lansing. If you have ideas for future blog topics, questions, or just want to share your thoughts, feel free to reach out at uucgl.archives@gmail.com. Next week, I’ll take a closer look at Halloween in the 1980s and beyond. Stay tuned!
Images:
2008.0548, Rev. Denise Tracy (right), 1976.
2008.0176, George Folsom, Max Mortland, Bonnie ?, Marion Vaughn, 1977.
2008.0253, Sue Liddle, Pat (Hamilton) Colburn, Mary Voelker, 1977.
2008.0347, Dorothy Baker as the Mad Duchess, 1977.
2008.0511, Marcia Boratynski, Peg Perry Roberts, 1977.
2008.0667, Dorothy Baker, Judy Weaver, 1977.
2008.0700, Mary Voelker as the Queen of Hearts with a tart pan, 1977.
2008.0745, Sue Liddle, Jim Davis, Bonnie ?, 1977.
2009.0078, Marion Vaughn, Millie Cooper, Anita Wolfe, Marion Walsh, Tom Smith, 1977.
2007.0215, Pete and Liz Signell, 1978.
2007.0331, Jim Davis, Sarah and Roger Gifford, Charles Haynes, 1978.
2007.0332, Marion Walsh, 1978.
2007.0333, Sonia Matlick, ?, 1978.
2008.0035, George Lokken, Mary Lokken, 1978.
2008.0036, Gene Mellen, ?, Ann Mellen, Denise Tracy, ?, 1978.
2008.0037, ?, Liz Signell (as Mother Hubbard), 1978.
2008.0547, Denise Tracy, 1978.
2008.0177, Ann Mellen, Marsha Boratynski, 1979.
2009.0055, Pat (Hamilton) Colburn, Jean?, Jackie Van Deventer, Meg Getz, 1979.
2009.0056, Meg Getz, Phil Brown, Pat (Hamilton) Colburn, 1979.
Sources:
The Lansing Journal, November 7, 1903, page 4.
The Lansing Journal, November 1, 1904, page 4.
The Lansing Journal, October 29, 1909, page 4.
October 28, 1969 church newsletter.
Lansing State Journal, October 24, 1970, page 11.
October 19, 1973 church newsletter.
October 26, 1973 church newsletter.
November 2, 1973 church newsletter.
Lansing State Journal, October 30, 1975, page 49.
Lansing Uni-Universe , October 23, 1978.
Lansing Uni-Universe, October 22, 1979.
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