alternatives to halloween

[pinkdolly]

A friend of mine who is also a Christian has just taken over the running of a day nursery. She has asked my opinion on ideas for an alternative halloween party, as she really doesn't want to do the whole scary/evil thing.

The nursery isn't advertised as being a particularly Christian one, so i'm not sure that Faith tea's or saints parties would work.

Can anyone come up with something that doesn't compromise my friends without being too pushy for the non-christian.
thanx in advance for your help

At church we had a "monster party". Everyone was a monster, but not too evil looking (think monsters inc, or the worst witch rather than scary "scream" mask

Had apple bobbing, carved pumpkins, but I suppose it was all a bit cuddlier than normal hallowe'en

Does that help?

Thanx for that, i'm not sure exactly what she wants to do, so I will put that forward to her and see what she thinks.

I just had an idea that maybe she could have a pumpkin party. And the children could carve pumkins but not scary ones and do some apple bobbing.

Also another friend just mentioned a harvest party instead.

This website suggests alternatives to Halloween:

www.halloweenchoice.org/2006/page4.html

\i'm sorry but apple bobbing and pumpkin carving make a Hallowe'en party methinks. I have a deep attachment to the Scottish/ Irish Hallowe'en traditions that I celebrated as a child in parties in our church hall and have tried to pass onto my own children. I do not see this as incompatible with a Christian faith and am getting very tetchy with the brand of evangelical Christians who feel they don't do Hallowee'n and feel their children must only go to Light & Bright Parties. Off my soapbox now - am I the only one who feels like this?

I agree with you, tarantella

Agree with Tarantella! Also our creche don't really do "scary" for the small children. All the pumpkins are smiling in a nice way!

I'm a pretty evangelical CHristian and I also agree.

Also don't like pumpkins for hallowe'en. Give me a good old turnip lantern anytime.

Our church is having a 'hero' fancy dress party on Halowe'en - not sure yet whether our kids are going as I'd like to do normal hallowe'en stuff at home with neighbours kids etc! Ds says that if he's going to the hero party he wants to go as Darth Vader, so that might defeat the purpose .....

Its not the halloween problems as such that I have a problem with, its the antisocial behaviour that goes with it - a brick through an old lady's window because she offered the kids apples instead of sweets. A baby nearly showered with glass, when a brick went through the nursery window. Both of these happened last year in our relatively quiet village.

I realise most parties aren't like this, but I also object to the emotional pressure to hand over sweets and chocolate just because kids are knocking on the door asking for them. Call me a party-pooper, but I just don't like the message it gives!

MaryBS, really is that kind of behaviour specifically to do with Halloween though? That is just loutish behaviour! Kids like that would use any excuse to misbehave, if they didn't use that occasion, they'd use another.

I think it is, and you're right, they use it as an excuse for bad behaviour. However the fact of the matter is, some old people are terrified of these knocks at the door, they don't always know until they open it whether they're going to get some cute little kids, or teenagers who are really too old for this sort of thing.

I'm not an evangelical by ANY stretch of the imagination. I'll be taking my children to a lite party because my son was terrified last year. I had hoped he'd "grow out of it". He's recently been diagnosed with Asperger's, so I am half-expecting the same response this year - he doesn't see it as children dressed up, he sees monsters!

In Scotland you don't just demand anything - when you go out on Hallowe'en you go 'guising' and you have to do a wee turn - tell some jokes, sing a song, doa poem or a dance, whatever. Then you get something. Makes it less loutish, more fun.

turnip lanterns are all well and good, harrissey, but you practically dislocate your wrist trying to carve them out.

Or maybe you've more sense than us -we just used a blunt dessert spoon to hollow them out as kids

dh does it - he doesnt have a problem with it - no idea why!

I just make the lentil soup with the leftovers !!!!!!

Our church organises a treat or treat party on Halloween including a non-Halloween fancy dress competition (this year it is book/TV/Film characters)

oh you wimp, harrissey!