Vintage Halloween Greeting Card with Asian Lanterns, 1910s

Paper lanterns—one strung on a tall staff, two more dangling from strings, and a glowing orange globe clutched in hand like a loot bag—suggest this is not just a child in costume but a tiny Halloween overachiever hauling an absurd collection of light sources. Behind them, a giant scowling moon face watches with deeply judgmental side-eye like a passive-aggressive landlord, while the child in dramatic black cape printed with crescent moon faces, green knickerbockers, and pointed witch hat maintains serene composure and absolutely does not notice the enormous celestial entity making a face at them. The verse promises that lantern beams will 'make clear to you the one who's thinking of you,' which sounds romantic until you realize the giant glowering moon has been staring at you this whole time and may have been the one who sent this card.