Sunday, October 31, 2010

To Trick or Treat or Not To Trick or Treat

That has been the question every year since we've been having children.
Let me start with a little history.
I trick or treated as a child.
We lived on a farm and my dad would take my brother and I to
2 or 3 other farms, the last one being a farm where his high school friend lived with his
parents and Mrs Degleman would give us popcorn balls and we'd sit at her table while they
visited with my dad and eat them!
Then, as we got older we'd go by ourselves with groups of friends.
No parents.
By older, I mean like 10.
I'd never, never let my 10 year old go by himself nowadays.
Fast forward to my mid 20's.
I was working at a Montessori school as an assistant teacher.
The rule there was No Costumes, No Halloween.
The reason being that children have many fears and it can cause jealousy among them.
So, we just did "Fall" stuff.
Fall treats, Fall crafts, etc...
Fast forward a couple years later.
I have my own Catholic daycare now.
(named Come Little Children Catholic Daycare)
Anyway, I decided to do the same as where I was teaching.
It made sense.
Fast forward 3 more years.
We now have a child of our own.
I kept with the "no trick or treating" thing.
I hate that "give me, give me" attitude.
Everywhere we go, kiddos get stuff.
Free cups, free toys w/meals, free stickers and suckers at the grocery store.
Gimme Gimme
Oh, yeah, and I have this wierd fear of answering the door...
might have to be a job for the girls!
Then, neighbors of ours had some thoughts on the subject.
The husband (a good friend of ours) believes that Halloween has become the devils holiday.
It is known to be the biggest day in the Occult.
A day of anti masses, devil worship and Antichrist activity.
Even more reason to not participate, right?
Well, I've always been on the fence, but it's been, let's say,
easier to not do it.
We don't need all that candy anyway.
I think we still have Easter candy up in the cupboard.
Now we have lots of children and it gets harder every year.
We have always gone to parties and dressed up for fun.
I've always tried to put our emphasis on All Saints day instead. Halloween is, after all,
All Hallows Eve. The Eve of All Saints.
This year is different.
I have decided we can go trick or treating with friends, we can take the good out of the day and keep it good.
No scary costumes.
No loud scary music coming from our house.
The kids are very excited.
I'm excited too.
Have I given in to the world and it's ways?
I think we will be fine.
Because tomorrow this will just be a memory.
And
we will go to Mass and celebrate All Saints Day.
And
we will walk through our backyard, and through the woods and go to
the graveyard and pray on Tuesday, All Souls Day for all the Poor Souls.
Life is what we make it.
It's how we approach it.
So
We have a
Spanish Conquistador, a Native American Indian girl, a Karate girl, a Ballerina and
a wee little puppy all ready to have some
soup with friends and go trick or treating.
This morning, Babycakes (age 4) said:
"Is it Halloween today?"
I said, "Yes it is!"
She then said, "But it's not dark out!"
What do you do?
Have a blessed night!
Pictures later this week, of both Halloween and All Saints Day costumes!

6 comments:

  1. I take the kids out for the candy...cuz I love candy. It is all about the candy and heck throw in a costume yippee just for fun.

    Baby is dressing up just so we can get more candy.

    The kids do love to dress up. Kids really do not know there is this evil thing about Halloween going on. At least the little ones do not. Now that I have a teen-ager we are discussing how we will not ever ever ever celebrate evil. never ever.

    I always liked looking at the little kids with their costumes and giving them candy. Except I always had a banana in my bowl and would pretend to give that. Just to see what the kid would do. Trick....or treat!

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  2. christine, I totally love that banana idea!!!! We will have to do that one!!

    I remember not liking when I'd get a raisin box as the treat....I'd bring it in my lunch though.

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  3. Hi Jamie, I have always tried to avoid the day and not actively participate mainly because I see it as a day for the stores to make mega bucks on the isles of candy. Like the similar day for Christmas where the reason for the season seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. I know it's up to us as parents to make sure our children know the truth & i have tried to do that. I am happy for your children that you are able to take the good out of the day and get some enjoyment out of it. My children are grown so I get enjoyment out of just letting it pass on by. Hope you have a great week.
    Odie

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  4. I've grown up trick-or-treating and have always enjoyed it. Never had an issue about being jealous of others. Love to see all the creative costumes and hear the chorus of "trick or treat!" and the big smiles. I never knew there was anything "evil" about Halloween.

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  5. I strongly disliked Halloween as a child-I was far younger than my siblings and they always felt is was a pain to take the baby...On the other hand, I grin and bear it so my kids can enjoy it.

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  6. My instincts are: go if you want and have fun. It's all about the candy! As the kids get older it's about running in a group to get candy with their friends. Nothing bad went down in my neighbourhood (of course cops were all over the place). Still - it's fun.
    And, the candy is great.

    Kissteen, I usually tell one or a dozen of the littles 'Happy Easter" or "Merry Christmas" and they look at me like I'm mental. which, I am, but I love pullin' their legs!

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