18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, October 28, 1913: Working away as usual.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Hmm. . . Grandma wasn’t exactly doing her usual work. She and her sister Ruth were preparing to host a Halloween party. The previous day they sent invitations to friends.
Were they making any Halloween decorations? . . . Maybe the carrot and apple head bogeyman shown in the October, 1913 issue of Ladies Home Journal?
I’m a bit foggy about why the magazine caption calls the bogeyman a candle holder since I don’t seen any candles in the picture.
The magazine didn’t provide directions for making the bogeyman, and instead said that if you wanted directions for making the “novelties” shown that you should send a stamped self-addressed envelope to the Entertainment Editor.
Here’s how I interpreted the picture when I made the bogeyman:
I bought some old-fashioned fat carrots (and some apples) at the farmer’s market.
I carved a jack-o-lantern face on the apple and then cut a round hole about 1-inch in diameter and 1-inch deep in the bottom of the apple. I dipped the carved face in lemon juice so that it wouldn’t turn brown.
I peeled the carrot and cut the bottom off so that it would sit flat. I then cut away part of the top of the carrot to create narrower piece that could be inserted into the bottom of the apple. I also cut notches on each side of the carrot for the twig arms.
I then assembled the bogeyman. The “buttons” on the front of the carrot are raisins that I attached using pins.
A Hundred Years Ago 
Well done! But, yes, where does the candle go?
Love your bogeyman!😀
Adorable! Maybe the apple was cored in the original, and a candle stuck in the top? Just a guess…
Oh, I think your apple/carrot bogeyman is cute! But you’re right: candleholder??
Great job! 🙂
Too cute for words!
Love this!
I notice the apple has a hole cut in the top of the head — for the candle? Fun entry.
Maybe you would cut a hole in the top of the apple and stick a candle in there? I would be afraid of it toppling over though and causing a fire!
It doesn’t look too stable for a candle but I think it is really cute for a decoration.
I think you’ve got the start for a new family tradition. This is so cute and I think you should consider it again next year. It’s very original, too.
Great effort with the bogey man! Could you scoop out the top of the apple to stand the candle? Mind you, I’m not sure I’d trust the stability of the carrot to hold a naked flame…
Your creativity is showing. I like your bogeyman.
Cute!
This is cute, Sheryl.
I think we should bring them back – so ‘innocent’ but fun 🙂
Awesome Bogie Man! I think you could hollow out the head deep enough to hold a votive or tea-light candle. Or even an unlit taper?