Christians-dealing with Halloween?

[poshme]

Just wondering what other people do- I'm not very happy anout my DCs doing Halloween activities- school topic/ school disco/ cubs all currently focussing on Halloween.
I've said no to school disco, and told cubs DS won't be there & my DCs are upset they're missing out.
I don't agree with trick or treating so we don't do that.
Just wondering how other people deal with it.

I'm looking for suggestions too. DD's only 3.6 but it's everywhere and I've just been waiting for her to ask something about it. Luckily pre-school didn't do anything and she's too young for trick or treating yet but it's definitely on my mind.

What have you said so far to them about why they're not going to the parties?

Your poor bloody kids.

Can I ask in all seriousness what are your objections. My DCs invited a friend to come for spooky treats and he said as a Christian that he wasn't allowed. They are 7 so I would like to be able to explain to my DC why he couldn't come.

Thanks in advance.

Lots of churches do 'light parties' where the kids dress up as non-scary type things & get to play fun games. Could you organise something like that? A chance for them & their friends to have a laugh without all the witches/zombies etc!

My town has organised a family Lantern parade. Still let them dress up but it 's all about light rather than spells and devils! Less anti-social than trick or treating. I do think it's a really tough one. I allow witch/ cat/ pumpkin type costumes etc but would draw the line at devils & skulls.

We had this debate around our school disco. Although some people really, really wanted a Halloween themed one, we didn't do it that way precisely because it will leave some people out.

Instead, we did a 'monster ball/dress up if you like' disco last week. Lots of kids did wear Halloween costumes, but it wasn't mentioned in the publicity etc.

I would feed your concerns back to the school and cubs. They should be thinking of more inclusive topics and events.

I'm an atheist, if that's relevant.

My local tabernacle has a festival of light where you wear bright colours and have a bit of a party on Halloween. Ask your local church?

Personally I love a bit of spooky fun but appreciate it's not for everyone!

The thing is its not ALL Christians who don't agree with Halloween. My dcs are at a Catholic school and the school themselves organise Halloween activities/disco etc. They just view it as a bit of harmless fun.

I think its only some parts of Christianity that have a problem.

We're happy for our kids to do 'spooky' things, we'llj! Do some national trust trails and I'd certainly be happy for cubs and school. I'm not keen on trick or treat over here but would be fine with it in the Usa where the whole community comes out and its clear who wants visitors.

Why would there be any 'power' in kids dressing up. Christians believe God is in control and in charge so there is no need to be fearful of kids dressing up and eating fun treats and playing some fun games!!

I'm a 'lite' Christian really, celebrate Christmas and Easter but other than that have no real spiritual calling.
But I really dislike Halloween. I think it's about celebrating negative, frightening and dark stuff. Yes I'm a wimp, but the whole thing leaves me really uneasy.

We won't be celebrating at home - I might do a friendly looking pumpkin I suppose. Nursery and pre school go all out though, and there's no getting round that.

We're doing a party based around this night of hope

We always do some kind of party with traditional games and we welcome trick or treaters. Have a friend who takes the dc out and just does 'treating' and takes cakes to all the neighbours :)

I am not a fan of halloween as it is but think it could be a really good festival to have fun on and reach out to your community. The more celebration the better...

I don't understand why you can't teach your children other traditions and stories? It has a very interesting history and traditions. You don't have to shut out anything non Christian, use it as an opportunity to compare and contrast

Hanging It's seen by some as a celebration of satanic things & therefore many Christians don't participate. Perhaps your DC would understand an explanation based on Christians being followers of God, who they think is 'good' & not liking Satan who is 'evil' & therefore not wanting to go to a party that they see as being related to Satan... Maybe followed by some explanation of what you perceive Halloween to be about so they get to see different points of view, including yours?

I'm from a very conservative Christian background and we always did something Halloweeney, was never an issue. Never saw it as celebrating satan I have to say. It is the flip side of all saints day, surely.

Er I personally wouldn't do that Agnu. Serious chance of child telling other children they're satanic or welcoming the devil! Not exactly a great yay to build relationships. If you're not happy with it just you don't like Halloween.

Do some people @really@ think kids making pumkin faces (ours always smiles) and dressing up is satanic? What sort of power are they ascribing. Surely as a Christian there is no need to fear or is their God not big enough? I'm not sure I'd trust a God who was scared of kids having fun!

It's fine to decline to join in festivals that aren't part of your culture and traditions. No-one celebrates everything out there, and it really isn't compulsory to do anything at Halloween. The Christian celebrations at other times of year are fun enough

Just ignore anyone who smirks at you for supposely being a killjoy - who's bothered about the opinions of such judgy people anyway?

I'm cofe.

It's never occurred to me to be morally outraged by Halloween.

At best it fake. At worst, well, if you truly believe in god then surely it's still fake. Don't see why I can't have fun with it. Don't get the angst. You just banned them from a school disco. That's just stupid.

At least it's just Halloween.

At the risk of being thought of as a misery, I'm not too happy about Halloween either, and I'm an atheist. As far as I can tell, 'trick or treat' is begging with menaces (plus spending money on fancy dress and standing about in the cold)

Of course being an atheist I don't particularly like the questions I get about:

Jesus and Christmas (well, a baby was born and a lot of people seem to think it was God, as well as a baby, and their so happy about it they buy you Lego)

Easter (well, you remember the Christmas baby? Well, when he grew up he was murdered even though he was God, and so people buy you chocolate eggs)

Eid (right, well God (a different one to Christmas and Easter, but people who believe in a God insist theirs is the only one) anyway, some people think He asked a man called Abraham to kill his son, and then said not to kill him after all, so people have a big party and give each other presents, and although we don't believe that either it's not part of this county's heritage and so no-one buys you Lego. Or chocolate eggs)

So in comparison 'people dress up in gory or frightening costumes because it's fun' is quite easy to explain. I still don't like trick or treat though.

I'm ambivalent about Halloween as it seems to be very commercial and I don't like children demanding sweets at my door. It is very unlikely that anyone will find this new house which is well hidden behind the church hall but if they do, I will have sweets handy and I will offer to bless any child that comes my way!

It tends to be the evangelical/charismatic Christians who have the biggest problem with Halloween. In my ministry I've come across people who have got themselves or mummy is not in the same league.

very annoyed with my use of the incorrect 'their' - apologies to anyone who found it as upsetting to read as I did.

I was also going to say I thought it was Christian - the eve of all hallows and a time to remember the dead. I'm from a Catholic background though, and was in Mexico once for the celebration which goes on for three days. There the day of the dead is most definitely part of a Christian festival.

Sorry that last sentence should have read 'In my ministry I've come across people who have got themselves into a bad place by mucking around with Ouija boards but dressing up as a ghost or a mummy is not in the same league.'

Ghost in the machine!!!