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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Halloween

Every year we re-evaluate our stance on Halloween. With 11 child filled years behind us, we have had several years to consider the pros and con's. The outreach potential, the harm, etc. Honestly, we are no closer now than we were 11 years ago on deciding what is best for our family.
Some years we have trick or treated. Some we have done the "harvest festival" thing, many years we have rented movies, and ate candy... lots and lots of candy!
This year we are watching one of my daughter's friends during the day. This girl and her family are single handed proof that you can have AWESOME kids in the public schools. This girl made the choice to not go to school on Halloween because the spirit has convicted her about being apart of the Halloween school activities. She's 9! My kids would love the opportunity to participate in the "scary" Halloween stuff. I hope she rubs off on them.
Friday we have a homeschool party where the kids get to dress up and play games. As for Halloween itself? No clue. Do we hand out full size candy bars with tracts at my folks house? Do we rent a movie and visit with friends?
What are your plans for Halloween?

9 comments:

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

We always go to my Mom's neighborhood to trick-or-treat.
I went back and forth for years about it too, but in the end, the kids and I have a wonderful and innocent time, so we go with it...and I don't feel guilty. :)

Mrs. Darling said...

Oh dear, I go thorugh this too. What to do, what to do. My husband sees nothing wrong with Halloween. I have just never felt truly comfortable with it. But my kids go trick or treating. They go through the neighborhood and then we go to the Harvest party at church. Of course I dont allow any scary or devilish costumes. This year they are going as mustard and ketchup!

Cindy-Still His Girl said...

Until a year or two ago, we never trick-or-treated or anything. We did the church harvest festival.

But then I read something that really got me thinking... I am in normal life a TERRIBLE neighbor... I like to hide in my house and not be friendly to anyone. (Not my typical personality, but somehow home was my refuge and I was different.)

ANYHOOO, I read this thing that talked about how that night is a fabulous night to be a good neighbor; to be home, with the lights on, to greet neighbors and get to know people. One idea was to host a chili party in your driveway. Basically it goes with The Connecting Church (book) philosophy... we are planted where we are yet often have no contact with or influence on our neighbors.

The one night they are all out and coming right to my door, I would have the lights out and wouldn't answer. Not sure that was the best message for me to be getting out there. So while I HATE the uglies about halloween, we now let the girls trick-or-treat in our neighborhood and I buy candy and give it to all the little pirates and Luke Skywalkers and cheerleaders who ring my bell. :) But I HATE Halloween decorations and avoid going to stores in all of October! :)

javamamma said...

My kids know Halloween as a "Harvest Party" at church. It's only been recently as they've gotten older that they've understood that SOME kids go out trick or treating.(and they've only just begun to know that there's a dark side to the 'holiday'.) We're blessed to be in a school that does not make a big deal of the day, as in, no parties or dressing up.

We'll do a big shin dig at the church. This year a little different because we are using Group Publishing's Wild West Fun Fest. I'm excited.

As for you, I'd hunker down with movies if you don't have plans elsewhere. Sounds like a fun option to me!

Halfmoon Girl said...

We are going to a Wild West party that our church puts on. The kids will probably dress up, but we don't usually trick or treat. We are kinda like you- some years the kids have gone to a few neighbours. Halloween seems to be getting to be such a big deal and we have taught our kids why we don't think it is all just fun and games. We do like to have a bonfire going in our yard with hot chocolate handy for those who come by, but in the last couple of years we have been helping out at the church event. I miss doing that.

Chelle said...

We've been doing the same thing around here. Up until now (7 years of parenting), we've ignored the holiday and stayed home with movies and candy, or done the harvest party thing. This year we find ourselves somewhat church-less and we're actually contemplating trick or treating (gasp). As of yet we haven't really come to any conclusions.

Simply a mommy said...

We're doing a gymfest party at our church. Basically it's an indoor/outdoor carnival type deal- cotton candy, hotdogs, inflatables, and games. Some children dress up (no ghoulish costumes). My younger two will, my older girls (11 and 9) opted not to this year. Like you I've gone back and forth (and round and round) about it, but this seems to be a happy medium for now. We always try to invite a few friends or neighbors that don't have a church home to come, so that makes me feel better about it too.

Anonymous said...

I want to start out by saying that no matter what our stance on halloween is we DO NOT judge or consider anyone who participates in halloween to be a bad Christian or anything like that!
My personal stance is that I just cannot celebrate in anyway a holiday that is dedicated to Satan and still get on my knees each day and ask God for forgiveness, to protect my family and to take care of our needs. It just doesn't feel right to me. All the way to the core it doesn't feel right. I struggled a few years when my oldest were young but the moment dh and I made the decision to leave the whole halloween thing behind a HUGE burden was lifted and we haven't looked back.

EE said...

My kids dress up and go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. I don't let them wear 'evil' or scary costumes, but to tell you the truth, that doesn't seem to interest them in the least.