Finding a way to "Celebrate" Hallowe'en

Warning: My position on Hallowe’en is rather extreme.  I do not expect everyone to agree with me, nor do I judge those who allow their children to go trick or treating.

   My children are 14, 12 and 10 years of age, and they have never dressed up and amassed candy from our neighbours on October 31^st.  Maybe I am too serious about this kind of thing, but I believe a “holy-day” should point to something “Holy”, not something macabre.  Increasingly, this is what Hallowe’en is about—the celebration of death and gore and horror.  It can also promote gluttony and greed as children are taught to knock on people’s doors and ask for things that are not even good for them.

   So, what does my family do about Hallowe’en?

• We talk to our children about the reasons we have chosen not to celebrate Hallowe’en the way most people do.
• We point out that October 31 is also called “Reformation Day”, marking the date that Martin Luther nailed 95 theses (comments about corrupt church practices) on the church door of Wittenberg in 1517.
• Some years we turn off our porch light and play a family game.
•  This year, we have decided to give out a CD sampler of “Adventures in Odyssey” instead of candies.
•  This year my daughters asked if they would be allowed to dress up in tame costumes and collect non-perishable food in a campaign called “Hallowe’en for Hunger.”  My husband is going to accompany them in our neighbourhood.