Make Some Noise By Ken Foust

SOME CELEBRATIONS are louder than others. New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July often include the sound of skyrockets and firecrackers, especially in neighborhoods where they’re banned. Other holidays are serene by comparison, Hallowe’en being a good example. Children in pursuit of candy are more interested in how many homes they can visit than in trying to wake the dead. But a century ago, things were different.

Trick-or-treating didn’t exist. Hallowe’en parties that included games, ghost stories, and plenty of sweets were the favored way to drive away demons. Noisemakers including horns, bells, tambourines, rachets, and clangers were popular at Hallowe’en parties too. And a handful of those toys were doubly good because they could make sounds in two ways.

Explore more collector stories, vintage toy highlights, and market insights in the Antique Toy World Magazine – October 2026

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