Knocking Game
Nov 27, 2022 23:57:41 GMT -5
Post by wormsday on Nov 27, 2022 23:57:41 GMT -5
Content warning(s): Sexism?
I found this in an old book filled with party games for sleepovers. It belonged to my Grandmother, or at least I have to assume it did. She passed recently and my Grandfather is downsizing, so the family went to help with the whole decluttering thing. It was a lot of going through old bins and boxes shoved in every corner of the house, acquiring new knickknacks like a really sad unboxing challenge.
I’m using “book” loosely. Its more like a vintage pamphlet, all bound by thread. I’m being as careful as I can, the binding is like yellow and hard, the way stuff like that gets with age. The pages have oxidized or whatever its called when the pages start to get yellow, and some of the pages are dogeared but other than that its in remarkably good condition.
The book is mostly standard fare, variants on tag, truth and dare, charades and the like, with some recipes for teas and sandwiches in the back. What's novel is mostly how old it is and this single strange game. What I’m about to share with you stood out from the rest.
I know spiritualism was a big thing in the 1800s so its not surprising to see something like this, but I thought it looked interesting enough, so here it is:
I found this in an old book filled with party games for sleepovers. It belonged to my Grandmother, or at least I have to assume it did. She passed recently and my Grandfather is downsizing, so the family went to help with the whole decluttering thing. It was a lot of going through old bins and boxes shoved in every corner of the house, acquiring new knickknacks like a really sad unboxing challenge.
I’m using “book” loosely. Its more like a vintage pamphlet, all bound by thread. I’m being as careful as I can, the binding is like yellow and hard, the way stuff like that gets with age. The pages have oxidized or whatever its called when the pages start to get yellow, and some of the pages are dogeared but other than that its in remarkably good condition.
The book is mostly standard fare, variants on tag, truth and dare, charades and the like, with some recipes for teas and sandwiches in the back. What's novel is mostly how old it is and this single strange game. What I’m about to share with you stood out from the rest.
I know spiritualism was a big thing in the 1800s so its not surprising to see something like this, but I thought it looked interesting enough, so here it is:
Knock-Knock
To play this game, you must have a door which locks from both sides.
For the host of the party: before your girlfriends arrive, you must cover every clock in the house, in addition, every mirror must be turn faced to the walls; even your hand mirrors must face down in your vanity drawers. For every guest at the party including yourself, place a candle on the table where you have set up the refreshments, and on a small pasteboard write the name of each guest and place it by the candle.
The game begins the moment the first girl arrives. When you let her in, she should play pretend that the door has opened of its own accord, and light one candle. Refreshments should be on display, easy for each guest to serve herself. You should leave activities ready for your friends to entertain themselves, because once they have arrived you will retire to the room where you and all your guests will sleep. Here you must lie still, flat on your back, for the remainder of the party. You must not speak to them, and they all must act as though you are asleep. ‘It’s too bad Agatha is asleep, she is missing all the fun!’ This is how you must be until your guests are sleeping. When they are ready to sleep, they must place a candle beside the bed where they lay their head to rest, and blow it out.
You are then allowed to awaken, no later than the final stroke of midnight. You have until sun-up to finish playing. When you are ready, light your candle, then lock the room you have decided upon. If the room you have picked for the game has a window, you should go outside to secure it; if your candle blows out while doing this, the game is at an end. Return to your bed and sleep until dawn. Now, knock on the door: bring your ear to the door, and you should hear sounds on the other side. You may even receive a knock back!
You are safe as long as you do not unlock the door, but should your candle go out at any time before dawn, you must return to your resting place immediately. If your candle remains true, as the sun comes up, creep back to your friends; blow your candle out and go to sleep.
If you have no friends, you can play with your doll: set up a party for them to enjoy without you, put them all to bed, blow out each of their candles, continue on as previously instructed.
The game begins the moment the first girl arrives. When you let her in, she should play pretend that the door has opened of its own accord, and light one candle. Refreshments should be on display, easy for each guest to serve herself. You should leave activities ready for your friends to entertain themselves, because once they have arrived you will retire to the room where you and all your guests will sleep. Here you must lie still, flat on your back, for the remainder of the party. You must not speak to them, and they all must act as though you are asleep. ‘It’s too bad Agatha is asleep, she is missing all the fun!’ This is how you must be until your guests are sleeping. When they are ready to sleep, they must place a candle beside the bed where they lay their head to rest, and blow it out.
You are then allowed to awaken, no later than the final stroke of midnight. You have until sun-up to finish playing. When you are ready, light your candle, then lock the room you have decided upon. If the room you have picked for the game has a window, you should go outside to secure it; if your candle blows out while doing this, the game is at an end. Return to your bed and sleep until dawn. Now, knock on the door: bring your ear to the door, and you should hear sounds on the other side. You may even receive a knock back!
You are safe as long as you do not unlock the door, but should your candle go out at any time before dawn, you must return to your resting place immediately. If your candle remains true, as the sun comes up, creep back to your friends; blow your candle out and go to sleep.
If you have no friends, you can play with your doll: set up a party for them to enjoy without you, put them all to bed, blow out each of their candles, continue on as previously instructed.