This time of year introduces several debates. Among conservative Protestants it's "Halloween or no Halloween?" which sometimes becomes "Halloween vs. Reformation Day," the latter being the celebration of the Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses on Oct 31. Even some Catholics are concerned that Halloween has become "evil." Well, here are ten ways to keep good ol' Halloween fun and sacred.
10. Don't call it "Satan's Holiday".
There are many Christians who have written off Halloween as some sort of diabolical black mass. It's the vigil of a Christian holy day: All Hallows' Eve or All Saints Eve. Has it been corrupted by our culture and consumer market? You bet. However, Christmas has also been derailed by the culture. Does that mean that we're going hand over Christmas? No way! Same goes for Halloween. The Church does not surrender what rightfully belongs to her - she wins it back!
9. Don't feel that you have to opt for an "Halloween alternative".
Many churches (particularly Protestant ones) are now how hosting "Fall Festivals" (or worse, "Reformation Day"). I've been to several and they are particularly good if you have toddlers who otherwise wouldn't enjoying walking around the neighborhood "trick or treating". Unless you have seriously hesitations about your neighborhood, why not join your neighbors? It could be a great opportunity to get to know them and spark up some relationships. I've gotten to know some neighborhood dads as we stand out on the curb and watch our kids go up and the ring the door bells of every house on the street.
8. Be safe.Check all the candy.Have the kids wear glow sticks. Dress warm. Stick together.
7. Be hospitable - Why not host the neighborhood party?
Christians are supposed to be hospitable, right? Why not host a Trick or Treating after party at your house with hot chocolate and coffee for the adults. Open up your house or back yard for games. Remember bobbing for apples?
6. Don't be turned off by the ghoulish-ness of Halloween.
Every great Catholic cathedral has gargoyles carved into its stone work. Illuminated manuscripts are also full of ghouls in the margins. Catholics are into this kind of stuff. Why? Because Christ has conquered death and the devil. After Christ, death has lost its sting. Also, All Saints day is followed by All Souls day so it's okay to be a little macabre. (By the way the word "macabre" comes from Maccabees - those two books in the Catholic Bible that Protestants threw out.) And if you live in an Hispanic area like I do, you've got the whole Dia de Muertos to play up.
5. Have fun, don't force converts.
Look, nobody likes to get a religious tract in their candy sack. Don't pass out religious literature. Give out big handfuls of candy and the extra large candy bars, if you can. In the long run, you will make more converts with your charity. After all, you'll be known as "the house that always gives out good candy".
4. Have a bonfire!
We Catholics used to specialize in bonfires. If you have the land and it's legal, stoke up a blaze. If you're kids are older why not set out a bunch of glowing jack-o-lanterns and roast marshmallows over a blazing-hot fire? If someone can play the fiddle, all the better.
3. Carve some fine looking Jack-O-Lanterns.
This is a no-brainer. Download some fancy cutting patterns from the web. Spend time as a family carving out some pumpkins. Put some candles in them and let them burn outside your house for a week or so before Halloween. My kids always like to see who has jack-o-lanterns in front of their house. Do you want to make friends in the neighborhood? Have a carving party and give a prize to the best jack-o-lantern.
2. Visit the graves of your loved ones.
This applies more to All Souls Day (Nov 2) than it does to All Saints Day (Nov 1). Still the point is to remember our loved ones and to pray for those who have died marked with the sign of faith. Death is not the last word. Christ has overcome death by His own sorrowful passion and death through the resurrection. That is is the source of our hope and strength of all the saints.
1. Be holy.
If you persevere in the love and grace of God, you too shall be a saint. The whole point of "All Hallows" is to remind us to be "hallowed" or "sanctified". Most of us won't have our own particular feast day and so All Saints Day will be our feast day. It is the feast day for most of the Church's saints, those who lived peaceably, followed Christ, loved their families, accomplished their duties in life and passed on to the next life. May their prayers be with us.Have other Halloween ideas? Share them in the comment box.
17 comments:
We don't really do much for Halloween in Australia, but symbols are filtering into our culture! And definitely some children dress up and wander their street! Having said that, I would have to say I have only experienced that probably twice ~ and both times were in anew housing estate with many young families! Interesting post!
Loved the post Annie!
Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine. I have so many good memories of my childhood Halloweens.
AMEN! I loved Halloween as a kid because it was fun trick or treating in fun costumes -- not scary crap! We always changed costumes and went back to the good places -- like the milk man who gave out chocolate milk. We got our costumes from clothes and accessories at rummage sales or Mom made them. It's sad that today kids can't be safe doing this once a year.
AND, I am a Lutheran and we don't have alternative things to trick or treating so don't bunch some churches with all of a denomination. Reformation Sunday is celebrated on Sunday, not ususally on Halloween even tho both fall on the same day.
Hi PERBS,
I did not mean to offend and you are quite correct, seemingly lumping everyone together is never a good thing.
Most of the anti-Halloween activities I've seen, not to mention accusations of Satanic celebration have come mainly from non-denominational churches.
I say MOST in the hopes of not making a generalization again. Thanks so much for your comment.
Annie
this is great!!!
i love Halloween and i agree there is no need to create controversy..
What a fabulous post! Thanks for sharing.
Excellent post, Annie. This is one holiday just for fun, but it does have powerful roots. Very illuminating, too!
Hello Annie, sorry its been so long since I have come to visit. This week and last have been crazy! But Halloween (and the school carnival) are almost here! Yay!
This was such a great post! You are absolutely right. We Christians need to take the holiday back. And these suggestions are perfect! I know I could really get to know my neighbors a little better. Maybe then I wouldn't be so afraid to let my kids play around the block.
Thanks for your inspiring words. I believe that I will make a point ever Halloween to go and visit our lost loved ones.
Talk to you soon, I promise.
Yes!
It's for fun!
Happy Halloween!
What an interesting and informative post. It couldn't be more different from my halloween offering!
It's a fun, imaginative holiday. It's roots tell us an awful lot about ourselves. I love the whole thing. This was an enlightening post.
Unfortunately I've noticed the signs are here that the commercial side of Halloween is creeping in a little bit more each year down under.
Growing up in the UK we always had the traditional carved turnip heads
and spooky stories I still enjoy *!*
Hi Annie! Loved the post, especially "we Catholics used to specialize in bonfires'.Very self-depreciating and cute. I wish we made more of All Souls Day in November, to take time out from our busy lives to call into a church to say a prayer for deceased loved ones. Thanks to your post I have made a committment to do just that this year. I enjoyed your photo. I used to have a hat just like the one on the right when I was a child. Had forgotten all about it.Australia seems to bypass Halloween, but I enjoyed seeing all the lit pumpkins on porches when I experienced my one and only Halloween in the U.S. a long time ago.
Thank you for this, Annie! I am loving it! xoxox
In reference to Hornitos Trip II, we did not make it to Hornitos today. Annie phoned and was told that 300 to 400 people had attended last year. Parking would be a disaster. If we had gone, I wanted to arrive around noon. But then Annie and I decided to just wait for Saint Catherine's Day, when it will be during the day including a picnic in the park with a lot less people.
Wow, I really love this post. A great balance. I so agree with number 5 too--reminds me of us Christians praying at a restaurant on Sunday after church adn then giving a pathetic 10 - 15% tip! don't add insult to injury sort of thing.
Personally, I have never been into Halloween as I did not grow up with it and I feel there is enough horror int this world without showcasing it merely for "fun" and amusement. It;s one thing to not be afraid of it or to avoid it at all costs but it's anohter to make lilght of it for pere fun. I'm really not into images of axe murderers adn thier victims sort of thing but I ahve no problem with kids dressing up in fun costumes (not zombie blodd letting ones, mind you.) I am reminded to othat scripture refers to us having not even the appearance of evil which seems to go int he face of dressing up as a sadist or something. Hmmmm.
Quite right about any day being Satan's DAy--it is true that Wiccans and Stantists do make this their holy day but all days belong first adn foremost to God. I'd say we do what we did with Xmas and "Ishatar" to Easter--turn it into a day to celebrate. I like your idea of remembering the dead we loved who went before us or can set a great example for us.
Oh, one more thing, i went to a "reformation Day" party once. Bizarre. Although i could agree with point out indulgences as such, I don;t think it's a day to celebrate teh fracture of the church further and further. Rather, it is a somber occasion. I will not do that again, adn besides which, it was pretty much just a regular fall festival.
Excellent post! Thank you for putting htis out there.
BTw, just read you comment to PERBS, as my wife was dabbling in Wicca and with Wiccans when I met her so I can tell you that yes indeed Halloween is a high holy day in such circles but the whole human sacrifice thing if too much exaggeration. Regardless, even if any day as so, it's still God's day, right?
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