Halloween Traditions?

Truthfully, harvest parties are lame. I'm not sure when the whole - we are not celebrating Halloween - thing came up for christians. When I was a kid, I went to a pretty conservative protestant church and though there was a bit a grumbling (and the beginnings of the anti-Holloween movement perhaps), we even wore our costumes to church on the relevant Sunday School day and had a party. This aversion to all things pagan is puzzling to me. Birthday cakes are pagan tradition too. Mexicans are largely Catholic and celebrate "Los Dios De Los Muertos" and do not consider their skulls and skeletons to be anti-religion. When studying adolescent development in college, we were taught about "negative personality development" in which someone develops their personality by rebelling against an imagined foe, rather than in relationship to their actual likes and dislikes and needs and present circumstances, as most people do. I see Christianity developing in this way more recently - "we don't do that because pagans did that," and think it is unfortunate. Historically, pagans were simply people who practiced a more earth oriented religion in Europe, kind of like the Native American Indians did and do in the United States. I think the maligning of "pagans" is unhealthy for Christians.

We are a homeschooling Christian family.

When my oldest a baby & toddler I didn't think much about "doing" Halloween but as my oldest got older we stopped all together. Halloween was just another day.

But when my middle daughter was born and a little while later I was expecting my 3rd my thoughts about it changed.

If you look at the history of Halloween you may understand why some religions don't do it. But then again if you look at what most families and kids do today it isn't evil or devil worship. It is a fun time for kids to dress up.

So our family does celebrate Halloween. We are not going against God in our hearts, we are not doing magic spells or stuff we are having fun as a family.

Some churches do a fall festival and we've been to a few other those but we don't anymore.

Our family goes trick or treating at the mall then around the neighborhood.

What changed my mind? I was watching the 700 Club one day and Pat Robertson received a question about this. He had the man from Focus On The Family James Dobson there too.

They both spoke at how this was something they did as kids and they saw no harm in letting their kids Trick or Treat.

Do you really think kids who trick or treat are generally glorifying the dark things of this world, rather than the light of Jesus Christ, The Truth. No. They are out having fun.

I'm a horror movie freak and I also quick watching them for a good many of years but no I watch them without a second thought.

Do you think me watching Freddie Kruger killing people makes me evil? No. It is a movie, it is fiction and it is for entertainment.

I know other Christians who feel these are all evil and we should not do them but for our family it doesn't remove our devotion to God I feel it is ok.

As long as you teach them about your religion they should still be able to enjoy the little things. I went to a strict catholic school and we still celebrated Halloween in our class rooms. We just saw it as a fun time about pumpkins and dressing up. It wasn't about the devil or anything evil. So it's really up to you, but just remember how much fun it was for you. You don't want your kids to feel bad when all other kids are enjoying themselves. I had a friend who wasn't allowed to trick or treat or anything like that and he resented his parents for it.

I'd like to see you try to resist the urge to put a baby in a little monkey costume. lol

I'm kidding. You'd be the parent so you can make any traditions you want. You don't even have to substitute something else in Halloween's place if you choose. Not everyone celebrates the same things or in the same way.

I think you have to let your kids decide for themselves. You, however, should not condone it if it goes against tyour beliefs. As your kids grow up, they too will decide wether or not Halloween is a part of their beliefs or not. They can ask you why you chose the path you did, or why you dont celebrate Halloween. Answer their questions honestly, but let them decide for themselves.

I would let them dress up it is fun. My husbands family never let him dress up and do Halloween, they do now, they have loosened up.

I think a harvest party is fine though and let the kids dress up in fun good costume, nothing evil, if that is what you feel okay with.

We dress up our daughter and all of us meet up at my moms house and the kids all trick or treat in their neighborhood after a BBQ

We have a mix of both-a "Pumpkin & Chili Fest"-where we go to the pumpkin patch for the kids to get pumpkins, take them home and carve jack-o-lanterns and cook the seeds, eat chili, let the kids wear their costumes, then have a bonfire and cook s'mores. You can make whatever traditions you want!

It's fine as long as you give them everything they need and lots of love. Historically, holidays were an excuse for people living in poverty to have a break from everyday toiling and have some fun. Nowadays, our lives are more stable and we don't need that excuse.

Your kid, your choice.