We arrived in Canada from the old country during the month of October. Our whole family went to live with my aunt and her family. What an adventure! All the cousins together! On the last day of the month our aunt told us that we as children needed to pretend we were hobos. She put patches on our clothing, told us to carry a bag on a stick, and go from door to door in this neighborhood and holler, "Halloween A-p-p-l-e-s!!" This was cousin fun and we collected enough apples to last the whole family until Christmas! What a strange custom this was in this new land! For an immigrant family this was an awesome help with the food budget.
As the years passed, this event focused more and more on celebrating the dark and evil side of people. The day is just like any other day that God has made. I dislike intensely everything to do with
blood and guts and gore,
ghosts and ghouls and skeletons
haunted houses, slime and more
I don't live in fear though. We've always allowed the children to participate. They dressed in costumes of cartoon characters or professions or famous people. How others who worshiped evil spent their evening was not the same as how we spent that same evening. Our focus was the children and a few hours of fun. We loved the kids in all the neighborhoods we have ever lived in throughout the years. We always had loads of good give away stuff! Actually, because our own kids always brought the neighborhood kids to our place to play in the tree house, on the swing set or in our family room, I fed the neighborhood kids treats at other times of the year too! Our children stayed home one year to hand the treats out rather than pick stuff up! They didn't suffer for it!!
But still, I can't wait for the event to be over. The internet has countless articles on whether or not Christians should even participate in any activities happening on Halloween. Former worshipers of evil, now Christians, issue warnings and instruct on the meaning this day has for the followers of evil. I know parents who have been dead set against any Halloween participation when their children were small, whose adult children now participate fully in costume parties and all that goes with it.Therefore, I think that each one needs to make up their own mind and not judge another for the choice they make. There are many man-made traditions and worldly celebrations that we may need to reconsider!
I think it is important that we use this opportunity to talk to our children and grandchildren about Jesus; how He brought light into this dark world and how to best share this Good News with everyone. Let us use this opportunity to show others Christ and celebrate the genuine love that all of us need to develop one for another. Don't focus on the darkness ~ be the light! Reflect the Son!
3 comments:
Hi Karin,
What a great post! I can't wait for Halloween to be over as well, because our little dog just goes crazy with all these kids coming to the door. I've had to close him in Darrell's office a few times here, much to his dislike! A few hours of fun is really the way most view Halloween. When we became Christians we still allowed our kids to participate. There was one year they didn't want to and stayed home, but other than that they have always gone. Tonight Kristen's at a "Pumpkin Party" for youth group and some in the neighborhood will come in to the church. Kristen is running the 'bobbing for apples' station. I hope we sent enough apples! I liked what you said about not living in fear. And about each one making up their own mind whether or not to participate and not judging others for the choice they make.
Hey Karin,
I love your talk on Halloween. I do wish I had had this approach when the children were younger. We abstained but tonight my 14, 20, and 23 year old told me ~ you never let us carve a pumpkin. Somehow now it didn't seem so important to keep them from it. For the first time they carved pumpkins (cat faces). It was actually fun. I do agree with what you wrote wholeheartedly. I am not afraid of "those" things but I don't want to promote them in anyway either. Unfortunately years ago I read a book that talked about the many origins of Halloween (and that included pumpkins). Have a wonderful evening. I am in southern Kentucky with my family and having fun. Lord Bless, Cathy
I posted on my personal blog our reason for not doing Halloween. But I did say that it's something that God convicts each family of.
I've never heard of the apple tradition. How neat! And great to be able to make pies, sauces, etc...all from free apples :)
Thanks for submitting your post again!
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