October 30, 2005 9:31 PM
October 31
I don't do Halloween. For someone who lived 39 years as a pagan - most of them in the San Francisco Bay area - it's just a gut reaction. No, I haven't done extensive research (though I know a lot about Wicca from my feminist philosophy days). And no, I don't at all judge other parents for their own decisions in this matter.
But for our family, it's just a holiday it's not that hard to do without. Some years we've invited friends over for chili and a movie. Sometimes we've simply turned off all the lights and watched a movie by ourselves.
This year, I'm taking the kids to see Wallace and Gromit, a claymation film that racked up an astonishing 95% at Rotten Tomatoes, a site I depend on for evaluating the artistic merit of a film (I also check on spiritual content and worldview at sites I mentioned here).
Last time we went to the movies, I took a bunch of disposable plastic cups with me. That way, I could give each of the little kids his own container of popcorn and soft drink. The theater we go to has cupholders on the arm rests, so it all worked out very well. No spills, no fights over the popcorn bucket - just a bunch of happy campers and a relaxed mommy!
Will let you know Tuesday about the movie!
Posted in Holidays, Movies | Permalink
Comments
Fun sounding!
We don't do Halloween either. I have friends that do, and that's fine--it's just something that we've never felt the need to even acknowlege.
We just got back from a fun annual chili cook-off with our church community. Tomorrow Lydia's (also from Choosing Home blog) coming over (to get out of the city--lol--we don't get many trick or treaters 'round my neck of the woods) and we'll probably yak all night while the children play. *grin*
Posted by: molly | October 31, 2005 12:35 AM
We haven't done Halloween either, but unlike Barbara, my conviction has always been borne with angst. Maybe because we explained too much about Satan, beyond the ability to process, to our children when they were too young. Chiefly because we live smack in the city limits and our neighbor's yard, in view of the kids' rooms, is decked out for the "holi"grrr-day in all manner of lighted and electrified bones, moans, creepy faces and vampires. All the kids in the neighborhood Trick or Treat big-time. It just is hard for an introvert like me to put my kids into a position where they stick out like sore thumbs, but we do it. I figure it's good training for the teen years, when bigger issues like dating, drinking, etc. will crop up. We try to make up for it the rest of the year by having the coolest bike jump in the back yard, being the only mom who allows kids to play with fire (because I will spend the time to supervise) and other stuff.
Having said all that, my youngest really, really wants to trick-or-treat this year in the wealthy section of town, where homeowners try to out-do each other in their treats. (There are rumours of king-sized Hershey's bars, Make-your-own sundaes, real cotton candy...) She is dramatic from the get-go, costumes being part of her daily life! I am one of the recovering legalist moms about whom Barbara often writes. This year, my husband is going to let her be the most gaudy princess she can costume herself as, and they're going to do the 'rich hill'. The very best part of this is, we are free to do it. She knows it is a unique situation. My son prefers to hang out at home, not an issue for him. We are beginning to know our kids so much better, and feeling our way through resting in Christ. I've let this day have too much power over me and this year, it stops.
BTW, we saw the Wallace and Gromit and Barbara, I will swap reviews after you've had a chance to formulate your own : )
Posted by: floorplan | October 31, 2005 8:34 AM
One thing I have replaced Halloween with through the years: filling our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes, and pawing through the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations closet to remind ourselves of what is coming, what needs refreshing, what we can throw ourselves into 100% !!!!
Posted by: floorplan | October 31, 2005 8:38 AM
We don't do Halloween here in Finland almost at all. some do but it isn't a custom to do the trick or treat thing. this year my younger daughter has a costume party at school. It's been exciting to find a costume for that.
I've been in USA once during the halloween. I was prepared for it with candies and I waited for the neighborhood kids to come by very eagerly but no one came. I guess it had something to do for me being a foreigner.
In finland children go around houses on Palm Sunday with decorated wigs. Children tap adults with them tenderly and read a little rhyme wishing everything good with it. That's originally pagan ritual but nowadays at least orthodox church blesses the wigs and some children add Lord's blessings at the end.
I love all special things.
Posted by: Maiju | October 31, 2005 12:45 PM
We "do" Halloween, but don't allow scary costumes, "haunted house" visits, etc. And we live in a place where Halloween decorating isn't really done. We don't make a big deal about it. To the kids, it's all about their costumes, mini chocolate bars, and watching "The Great Pumpkin".
I know Christian families are capable of making their own decisions regarding Halloween---but not everyone shares this view. Someone from our church told our son Halloween is the devil's birthday! Grrrr.
Posted by: mopsy | October 31, 2005 1:15 PM
floorplan said: We try to make up for it the rest of the year by having the coolest bike jump in the back yard.
That must more than make up for it, I reckon ;) There is a balance - I mean if we're friendly and hospitable the rest of the year, one night of dropping out shouldn't ruin our witnessing ability that much, should it?
I like how you put it -
I've let this day have too much power over me and this year, it stops.
Actually, I remember in 1991 - the year after we came out of the extremely legalistic, cult like church we spent almost two years in - we were so revelling in our freedom in Christ that I made knight costumes for my four boys and we took them trick-or-treating. We needed to know it was our choice to participate or not. Also last year I allowed Maddy to go with friends to the teensy almost-300-years-old village down the road from us where the residents live in houses that seem barely bigger than my kitchen and they love being hospitable to the nighborhood kids.
Mopsy, I agree and am grring right beside you - nothing like someone undermining a kid's faith in his parents.
Posted by: barbaracurtis | October 31, 2005 4:32 PM
