Buckle your seat belts, this is going to be a bumpy ride! I am about to open up a can of worms … so hold on tight.
I just received this email from a bloggy friend (name will not be mentioned). I appreciate this friend’s concern for me, I really do. The funny thing is, I am on his side. Though my daughter carved a pumpkin face, we don’t celebrate Halloween. I know, perhaps my pumpkin blurred the lines.
Have any of you ever done research on the history of Halloween? I’m not going to record it right here because my post would be huge (and because I’m writing in the dark and don’t want to go get the book on my shelf). Instead, this is the email my friend sent me out of love:
What’s wrong with Halloween?
It does not have even one single redeeming virtue. It is custom born out of pagan superstition. It is a demon-inspired, devil-glorifying, occult festival. It is an evening holy unto evil, death, and divination. The Scriptures tells us to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” [1Thess. 5:22]
Wake up Christian! This is the night of evil and those who love the Lord Jesus Christ should have nothing to do with it.
We are all accountable for our choices and decisions. Ignorance is no excuse. The choice is up to you. Have you been involved in this satanic holiday? Do you struggle with giving it up because “it’s just fun” and an innocent opportunity for children to dress up and collect candy? Don’t take my word for it. Let God show you what he would have you do. You might begin by praying the following:
Father in heaven I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ to confess that I’m a sinner. I’m sorry! Please forgive me. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is Your Son and that You raised him from the dead. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that I might be saved. Each and everyday Father I turn my will and my life over to Your care, and may Your Holy Spirit lead and guide me in all the things I think , do and say. I’m Yours and You are mine. Father, please use me that I might help others come to know and love Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for saving me. Amen
For years, before my daughter was born, we stopped handing out candy. Before that, we did slip in some Christian tracts with the goodies, but then we just stopped all together. As an intercessor, I always noticed more demonic attack around this season and I know that it is a holy day for those who don’t serve the Living God. I know all of this.
Then comes little sweetie. The church we attend now has a Fiesta night where the kids go to play games. That is what we do now on October 31st.
We were at Chick-fil-a yesterday (shocking I know – ha) and the lady working asked Princess, “What are you going to be for Halloween?” and she said, “We don’t celebrate Halloween.” The woman was so embarrassed. I immediately said, “She is going to dress like a Peacock at church.” Are we blurring the lines? Maybe.
Before I even got his email this morning, I was already thinking about carving a bunch of smaller pumpkins with crosses and other fun Christian symbols, etc … We carved the pumpkin out of fun. Trust me, I don’t think the pumpkin is going to ward of demons (like the original carvers).
Now for those who do feel as strong about this as my dear friend who sent me the email out of love and concern — what do you do about Christmas and Easter? The Christmas tree is totally pagan — and even the “word” Easter is pagan.
I told my husband I would never lie to my daughter. I will never tell her Santa is real. She knows that Christmas is about Jesus and His birth. She enjoys Santa, and family members really “build him up in her mind” but Mommy isn’t pushing jolly St. Nick down her throat. (I know, I’m ducking … )
Told you I was stirring the pot. Just curious about your feelings. Whether you agree or not, just putting it on the table.
Maybe I shouldn’t have carved a face in my pumpkin. I don’t want to be religious. Sometimes we can go the other way and be led by religion. There is such a fine line.
Blessings to you all!
Wow you have stirred the pot and opened up some great discussion and eyes. lol
Its all quite interesting.
Beth Thanks for the wisdom.Love you dearly.Again Thanks. POD.
When you started this post and I was reading your concerned friends email, my first thought was what about the christian holidays we celebrate that have pagan roots. I haven't studied it very well YET, but I believe it all started with Constantine. This has been on my mind lately. I so understand what your friend is saying. I was never allowed to participate in Halloween things either, when I was growing up. We do it with the kids, but it's so not a big deal and they never are allowed to dress up as anything scary or satanic, ie witches and such. But I believe he or she needs to go further and check out the other holidays and their original origins and become a true purest. No offense intended.
Preach it sister! We never did Halloween – fall festivals, yes, is that a compromise? Maybe.
We never did Santa either. Our Grandchildren are being raised the same way. What a joy it is to see our Grandchildren so thrilled on Christmas morning because they are celebrating Jesus and able to give gifts. They all love giving as much as receiving. And the best part, we never lied to our kids and grandkids so they never had to wonder if we lied to them about anything else.
And the Easter bunny….nuff said. You can probably figure that out by how we handle(d) Christmas.
Keep opening those cans of worms, sister. We've gotta be real.
God bless you for your realness, love you for that.
I look at it like this: I want my child to be exposed to various things in hopes that she can make those important decisions for herself one day. I don’t want to influence her too much, but keep in mind that doing the right thing will always be influenced. Does that make sense? I want my toddler to enjoy her childhood and these innocent times when life was easy and full of learning. Granted she is still a toddler, I think there is a time for kids to be kids when the world is innocent and fun without having these heavy life altering decisions hanging on their every movement or word. They will have plenty of that when they get older and hopefully will steer in the right direction as adults with their parents support and love. I was pushed into a religion as a child and I must say it has left me very reluctant to get back to it. Not because of the message and the beliefs, but because I have associated it with the adult pushing it down my throat like that was the only way to be accepted and loved in this world. If you didn’t follow what she was saying, you were less of a human being without any worth. It also has made me very aware of just how powerful pushing your child in one direction or another can be. I have a relationship with God, I understand what I know, but what I know is not enough for me at times. I want my child to have a mind of her own, beliefs of her own, and ideals of her own. If I have done my job as a parent, those will fall in the category of acceptable and good. Its okay to agree to disagree, we are people of different backgrounds where tolerance and respect are key.
Halloween isn’t really a big deal to us, but we do carve pumpkins, dress up, and go trick or treating. Easter isn’t even a big thing either. Christmas on the other hand is a huge family tradition of finding the right tree on a tree farm, decorating the house, and setting up our nativity scene. K knows about Santa and knows about why we celebrate the holiday. Should we stop doing this because of the pagan roots even though we do not support that sort of religion? Does that mean we are supporting or influencing Paganism? I don’t think so and that is certainly not what we are doing; however, if we were, I believe everyone is entitled to their own beliefs ways of supporting them.
The lines get blurred very easily and in today’s world it doesn’t seem to be stopping. I can’t even un-blur the lines on my work and my home, how I am suppose to un-blur the lines of this issue? I think everyone has to find that right fit for their family and respect the other’s family choices. I am not saying this person who sent the email or Beth are guilty of disrespect. We are very open tolerant family, we come from different backgrounds and cultures (I’m white American, my husband is West Indian Canadian, our child is a mixed race child.) and we want to expose K to as much as possible so in her future she can make an intelligent decision on heavy issues with confidence.
If while you were carving that pumpkin, you felt the Holy Spirit nudging you, even a little, that it wasn't okay, I know that you would have been obedient, because I know your heart is to please your Heavenly Father more than anything or anyone! If you felt bad after your friends email, my guess would be it was more condemnation that conviction. I think we can redeem the holidays that have their root in pagan rituals, and use it as a witness to the world. We have a fiesta where the kids dress up in non-scary outfits, have candy, games & fellowship with friends in a safe environment, are encouraged to invite their non-church going friends, have a booth set up with intercessors to pray for any of the children who would like prayer. Last year we actually had some of the kids confess Jesus as their Lord & Savior when they came to the booth for prayer. Carving a pumpkin with a cross as opposed to a scary face can be a witness to your unsaved neighbors & friends that you a different. 1 Cor. 10:23 talks about all things being lawful, but not all things are beneficial. It basically says we are to walk in freedom concerning the former things that were unclean, as long as it doesn't cause someone to stumble. In the case of Halloween, there will always be both sides, those who are offended by it, and those who see the value in redeeming it. So in this case, you have to go with your own convictions. That's just my opinion…and I probably offended someone. This is where Christians should agree to disagree and let the Holy Spirit do His job of counseling & convicting.
Beth regarding Christmas tree from pagan roots which in the U.K.came about through our links with Germany.We in the U.K. did use tree's like the the (Mountain Ash)The Rowan Tree in pagan religious beliefs.Then about 120 years ago The Christmas tree came apart of Christmas as we know it today. so i don't use a tree for it takes us away from the birth of Jesus, same for santa which comes from folklore.Easter (Roman) man made. God Bless you really Good.POD
I had this same dilema when my girls came along. It's so hard! Is it a sin to go door to door and and get candy? We don't "celebrate" Halloween, but we participate in it.
I love this pumpkin devotion. Why not try it when you carve your pumpkin?
http://www.reallifeblog.net/2007/10/how-is-carving-pumpkin-like-being.html
Beth,
Thanks for your post, and your wisdom.
Have a great time!
hugs hugs
Wow, wow, wow…how many times we've went up against this battle. We haven't 'done' Halloween in over 15 years..much because of what the holiday represents..to us. This year however, DS's girlfriend surprised him with a pumpking to carve because he never had done that..he's almost 17. The girl he is dating is from a wonderful family, but I'm not sure about their relationship with Jesus….I know.. ANOTHER can of worms….but I had to make a decision..do I raise a stink because he carved a pumpkin–which is sitting on my front porch for all the world to see–or do I allow him to continue on showing them Jesus and living Him before them? We chose the latter and will trust God to reveal ALL things in His time.
I agree with a previous commentor..it's easy to see your heart and love for the Lord..if you'd been wrong in what you did..allowed Princess to do…the Holy Spirit would have been all over that and you would have stopped right at that moment.
Hugs to you my sweet friend!!
Deb
I just posted about "discernment" before coming over here and reading your interesting topic. As Christians, we will always have different opinions and some will always not agree with our own. I had saved 2 posts I typed last night and asked the Lord what He wanted me to share this morning. It leaned more toward posting "discernment". He is the Only One we can consult in everything and ask His Spirit to lead us.
When my hubby and I became stronger with our walks with the Lord, we don't celebrate Halloween anymore. I don't even want to say "Easter" when that holiday comes but more of "The Risen Lord". My son knew early in his life that there was no Santa, but Christmas is all about the celebration of Jesus coming here, things like that. It's not trying to be religious but more of pleasing the One Who deserves all our adoration, nothing else, especially if it is from the world.
Honestly speaking, your friend's prayer sounded a lot like mine in that post. And like what you said, it was done out of love…
Let us just be in tune with His leading! Do what the Lord tells you to do sister…And may we be all united in His love. Blessings to you sister Beth…Love to you.
"I think we can redeem the holidays that have their root in pagan rituals, and use it as a witness to the world."
I have to agree. What man has meant for evil, God can redeem and use for His glory. One example is the Pumpkin poem.
I don't like Halloween because nothing in it's origins resembles anything that could be good. And I've never studied the origins of the Christmas tree, so I can't comment on that. When my children come along, I don't want to lie to them about Santa either. Leon and I have only talked about that once a few years ago, so I don't know whether he's yet changed his mind. He mentioned that he likes what Santa represents and that's what he would want to teach our children, and I replied that I would rather teach my children the real thing – Jesus! We'll see what happens when the time comes.
As far as the pumpkin carving, your blog has actually made me think I need to re-think this whole thing. I don't like Halloween because of its origins and because of the things done by certain pagans on that night even in the 21st century (yes, that stuff still goes on!) I could do without the ghosts, goblins, and ghouls, dressing up like witches, the pretending that the evil stuff is all fun and games – it's just one way Satan manipulates people into accepting what is evil. At first, I thought it was harmless for you to carve a pumpkin, especially because I know you and I know your heart is for the Lord. People can take something that should honor God and ruin it (I call it religion) so it also stands to reason that something like carving a pumpkin can be done to honor God. To me, it's a matter of our hearts, and I think Scripture backs me up (I won't quote them here since this comment is already long). I'm also thinking about what Paul wrote about eating foods sacrificed to idols – it's more about whether something we do causes one of our brothers to stumble than whether it's something we are permitted to do. Again, it's our hearts and the hearts of our brethren that matter here. The Scriptures say we are to honor God in EVERYTHING we do, and there are some things we can do that NEVER honor God.
Now, that being said, I might have to re-think some of the other parts of Halloween that as long as our hearts are right, it might not matter. Dressing up as something evil and pretending it's cute – no! Dressing up like a ballerina or princess, well…. Trick or treating? I know it's origins, but now? As long as our hearts are right? I honestly don't know. It's something I have to reconsider and think about.
We don't celebrate Halloween either. We used to and I've had my share of pumpkin and halloween festive birthday cakes. I even had a costume sweet sixteen birthday party. But after my daughter was born, I did some research and didn't like what I discovered. My husband and I talked it over and when my daughter turned four, we stopped celebrating it. Instead, we took her to church festivals and bought her candy and we talk about harvest time, but she knows the meaning of Halloween and now that she's 12, she tells us that she's glad we did what we did for her. As parents, I believe it is our responsibility to influence our kids. It's what I consider parental guidance. Great topic.
I forgot to answer your question about Christmas and Easter. The same year we stopped celebrating Halloween, we changed how we celebrate Christmas and Easter. My daughter was 4, and we told her the about Santa and the Easter bunny. We discussed the historical man named St. Nicholas, I did some research so I'd know what to tell her. She was disappointed that we had lied, but she said she was glad we told her the truth. Then we discussed her having respect for other children at school who still believe what their parents have told them. She was so good about this even though she was four. That year all her presents under the tree said, "From God". We like the Christmas tree and we have it, but we limit the Santa figurines b/c we feel like the holiday is becoming too commercialized and Santa is becoming an icon to too many children. We're careful about not doing the same with Angels even though they are God's messengers, although we enjoy angel figurines. Like the Love Comes softly movie series, we started reading the birth of Jesus story as a tradition with our family. We still hang stockings by the fire and we decorate with lights and I have my historical Christmas village I enjoy putting up each year.
As for Easter, we fill a basket with Christian keepsakes, books, and candy. We usually go to the Family Christian Stores and by those eggs that contain a special symbol or a verse of knowledge. We will do a Bible study/prayer devotion and sing praise and worship songs.
You go right ahead and stand by your beliefs in teaching your child. Quite honestly, is she going to really be missing out on anything? (Cavities!!!) I suppose if it were only celebrated in the Pagan style, I'd be totally against the holiday myself. For those of us in the Northeast, and for those parents who want to teach their children a positive spin on the holiday, Halloween is taught as a religous celebration and is even celebrated in Church as All Hallows Eve….The Eve of All Saints Day. We remember the saints and those gone before us. We learned when young that kids would dress up as their favorite Saint and remember them this way. We had carpenters, fishermen, tax collectors, etc. Then when marketing and advertising came along, it lost its true meaning and other costumes were introduced. Because I don't have children, I selfishly enjoy seeing the kids come to the door in their costumes and make me guess who they are. I live in a cul-du-sac so there are lots of families that come by this one time of year to say hello because there is no other opportunity for them to come and see us. I decorate for Halloween on that day only and it's gone and put away by dawn the next day. I don't use anything but pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. Nothing bewitching or evil because I don't think there's anything positive or nice about the signs and symbols that are out there.
Hmmm. I know you brought up the santa thing last year at Christmas. I guess you could say we do all the pagan type things. We do NOT put all the focus on the pagan things. Christ is the center of Christmas and Ester. Christmas and the Christmas tree: why not use it represent the cross that was made out of a tree and the lights represent he is the light of the world. Just an idea. Easter eggs represent new life.
On Halloween: We do halloween and the girls dress-up and go door to door. I guess if I wasn't doing halloween or believed in doing it at home door to door I don't think I would do it at church. Your still dressing up for this holiday and celebrating in a way.
One more thing on Christmas we do Santa but we do't go and see Santa at the mall.
Enjoy your little girl and I'm sure whatever you decide she will have wonderful memories of all the hoidays with her Mommy and Daddy.
This subject seems to get everyone going…Everyone has their opinions…Our church has a fall fest too where the kids can dress up. I see nothing wrong with it. We have to make decisions for our families under our own convictions, not those that others might be pushing on us.
Hugs,
Mimi
This is definitely a subject that gets people talking! We don't "celebrate" halloween as much as we take part in the festivities that happen to take place on halloween. I take my girls to a "Fall Festival" at church and they enjoy dressing up. We dress in costumes that are fun, but not scary or evil looking. They play games, collect candy as prizes, and basically we just enjoy some family time. I do buy them a smiley pumpkin bucket or a bag to collect their carnival treasures in, but we don't even call it a halloween bucket. I try not to include the "label" as halloween when we are talking about our plans with the girls. We call in Fall family fun time. They have a great time and we don't feel guilty for not letting them enjoy a day that alot of their other friends are celebrating. We are celebrating too, just celebrating Fall! Smiles to you:)
A can of worms is right! I don't push anything on anyone. I just do what my family wants to do and we don't feel convicted about carving pumpkins or trick or treating with neighbors. I know that is not the answer for everyone's family but it works for mine.
Ouch, it's getting hot in here, lol. You just inspired my post about Halloween. Check it out when you get a break. Love ya!!
We have never celebrated Halloween. We have always done alternative things like go to Harvest Activities at church or just go out to eat and to a movie as a family. We have never allowed Santa to enter our Christmas either. We do not think of him as evil or bad but he seems to take away the excitement of the true Gift bearer, so, we do not include him in our Christmas celebration in our home. I am not a stickler as to say that anyone else should act or behave like we have decided to at all. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit within them to guide them individually. I am so thankful for that!!
We too don't "celebrate" Halloween, on our post a couple years ago we were able to start a Fall Fest., the chapel is the main sponsor (w/MWR being a cosponsor). Only nonscary costumes are allowed, we do Christian crafts, games, etc.
As for Christmas we do Santa in a very low key way. We have taught our children that Christmas is not about Santa, but about Jesus. They know about the real St. Nikolas (we live in Germany), and have taught them who and what he did when he was alive.
Easter we have an egg hunt, and they get a Christian based gift or two, a little candy, but it's very low key for the most part and focuse mostly on Christ's resurection.
I have to say that the letter didn't sound full of love, but I don't know the writer, it sounded a lot of condemnation, which I often think of "people in glass houses".
I believe that if you've prayed over it and asked for GOD's discernment, that it's between your husband, you, and GOD.
I have to admit when I read this sentence: "I will never tell her Santa is real." I read it twice and I thought it said Satan. I was so confused. I thought, what? Why do you not tell her satan is real…he is so real unfortunately. I had to chuckle when my eyes focused properly and saw santa. Whew!
Now to the big pot…haha. I do enjoy me some little decorated peeps. I love to look at the 'nice' and creative costumes. We had a fall festival at church and the cutest little guy was there. Maybe 2-3 years old and his entire outfit was an authentic looking police officer suit with the badges and pins. It was adorable. As far as halloween night and doing weird and evil things no thanks. I'm glad church always does it the week prior and it's not actually on the 'day'.
Blurring the lines? No, I don't think so. I love carved pumpkins to…they are so sweet and show the fun family activity behind each.
Nuff said…
Love,
Paula
Oh, as far as the Easter bunny and its eggs…I REALLY hate that. At least on Cmas you can see some aspects of Jesus and His birth display in the secular world. Not for Easter…it looks totally like a bunny and his eggs birthed from chocolate. I didn't realize the word Easter was pagan. Maybe we can ask congress to change it…get a petition…Risen Day.
Beth,
We don't "celebrate" Halloween. We simply look at it as a fun day to dress silly and get a lot of candy. For us, what matters is where your heart is and we know that we belong to a living God. Therefore, we've taken the whole satanic element out of Halloween and turned it around to be nothing other than a fun time to enjoy as a family. We've participated in Fall Festivals at our church when the girls we small, but those are more geared to younger kids. Our girls lost their interest once they got older. We've made some of the best memories dressing up and acting silly together.
I will have to agree with Mimi. She said it so well. We attend our church's Harvest FEstival, and it is a wonderful alternative to "Halloween." PLUS, it's my youngest daughter bday that day too, so I kill two birds with one stone..lol.
Every family has their own convictions regarding this day. I think if you someone is going to be against this 100%, then it should be the same way w/ everything else in their lives. Overall, God knows our hearts, and our intentions. That's all that matters above what anyone says. That's when people start to become legalistic.
Here is my I HATE HALLOWEEN VIDEO..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZSRNs54-cA
EXCUSE ME, BUT WHERE ARE ALL OF YOU WHEN I WRITE LITTLE HAPPY POSTS? lol Now I know how to get the hits … write about controversial subjects. hee hee
Thank you for sharing your opinions.
Love you all!
Beth
I never knew the Pagan meaning of halloween until I started reading about it on these blogs. My kids don't know the pagan meaning either. We didn't know this because it's not what we were taught. We were taught that you dress up and get candy! Thats it! We do dress up, and my kids do go trick or treating. We are not holding satanic rituals in the basement!
Maybe thats the way halloween started, but the meaning of it has changed.
Can't say I'm a fan of trick or treating either, to be honest. We haven't celebrated Halloween in years. I love to dress up though, and put my little sweetie in a costume! So, we're dressing up to go to a friend's costume party this year… on the 30th. And on the 31st we will either stay home or go to a barn dance through our church.
Hi beth do take a look at http://www.jeremiahproject.com/culture/halloween.html some more infor??? POD.
We celebrate halloween at church or sometimes we go to a friends house. I always let the kids know that we are celebrating a harvest, which is what my parents did when they grew up on the farm. My parents taught us that Oct 31 in their community was a time for them to get together and have a fall harvest. They bought the best meat and crops and really had a fun time with hay rides, games, pumpkins, squash, fruits and veggies. We still do this to this day. I cook huge meals and we get together and serve each other and play games with the kids. No one is allowed to dress as anything unwholesome or scary. I teach my kids that halloween has a bad origin, but most holidays are commercialized or have pagan roots. Easter baskets, eggs, christmas trees, etc all are not holy. So, I tell them to make it their own. Always find good and celebrate Christ in all they do, no matter what holiday. Enjoy autumn!!
Thank the Lord for TRUTH and your obdience to put it out there. My Husband and I do not celebrate Halloween either nor do we get in the Holiday frenzy of Christmas. I stopped putting up a christmas tree a few years back. Once you have been exposed to TRUTH you are held accountable for what you know.
God Bless
Beth, sweet one. You need not apologize for bringing this subject up, it's great discussion.
So, we do not celebrate Halloween either. We do not participate in our congregation's 'Trunk or Treat' either, (they play games, have dinner and then go to the trunks of members cars for their treat), because we do not want to send mixed messages to our children that it's okay if we are doing it at church. However, we are not upset at our congregation for hosting it nor at the people who participate-this is our choice for our family.
One year we did carve a pumpkin, however, we did this as a craft activity for our kids. We didn't put it out on our doorstep in order to keep any confusion away. I guess kinda like avoiding appearances. The pumpkin was a gift and Anton and I decided to let our kids see what was inside the pumpkin and we roasted the seeds! Eyanna thought it was cute that the pumpkin had a face.
You are right about Christmas and Easter. We do not celebrate those either. Well, in the traditional ways that were originated from Paganism. We of course do not acknowledge Santa, and this has been hard for our oldest because of other kids who do believe, she gets upset that they don't believe what she believes and so we have to tell her that she can not be mad about that and we explain why.
Anyway, last year her teacher decided to settle an "argument" by saying that Santa is real and told the kids to stop talking about it. Eyanna told her teacher that her parents told her that he isn't real and she trusts her parents! WHOA!
And as for Easter, we have communion every Sunday in memory of Jesus' death,(1 Corinthians 11:23-26), so for us, our family, to say that that time of year, (Easter), is what the celebration is all about doesn't fly with us and because of it's pagan symbolism as well.
You're fine Beth, you, Boaz and Princess remember that God will let you all know, I'm sure, if what you are or not doing and how you're doing it is pleasing to Him.
smooches,
Larie
Hi Sis,
We can't forget how babies were being scarificed as well. I watched a video on all that goes on all the satanic rituals and I was so surprised of what many of us do not know exisits and goes on.
There were those who once praticed rituals who are no longer part of that life and their testimonies were so eye opening.
Hugz Lorie
Hugz Lorie
I wonder if your emailer has children, because that changed the game for us. Before that, no tree, no gifts, no costumes. After that, a lot of thinking. We don't celebrate Halloween, but we always attend a harvest fest where the kids can still dress up. I carved pumpkins one year using a floral theme and made a topiary I saw on the home channel. We had a blast doing that, but I pointed the kids toward thinking about spiritual harvest and Christ being our light. We turn all the pagan holidays on their heads by emphasizing Jesus and de-emphasizing ritual. Sounds like you're doing the same. Great post
I agree with what you wrote Beth. Things are about the same over here. We've never gone trick-or-treating with the girls and they have yet to carve a pumpkin but I think that is just my laziness about messy crafts more than anything. We like to decorate for fall with pumpkins, indian corn, etc. We do go to fiesta, because I don't like having answer the door to all the treaters and the dogs barking, etc. (We didn't go last year, but that is because my youngest was in the ER with Salmonella.)
I wanted to do the pumpkin patch and carve a pumpkin this year mostly because John wants roasted pumpkin seeds, but the girls have been so sick these last few weeks we haven't been able to get out. We'll see maybe we can still do it. As far as dressing up, L doesn't like to, but B and E will dress up any day of the week, so they will dress up in something they already have for fiesta, any excuses to go out as a princess or butterfly is good for them.
But we have had the same thing happen with my girls telling everyone "We don't celebrate Halloween" That went really well at my half-brothers wedding that was on Halloween (a Wednesday b/c it is their favorite holiday) and the reception was a costume party.
Halloween, is just a word to me. We do not celebrate it, but I love this time of year. I love Harvest time! We give candy if we are home, which we usually are not. I think what you say about being religious stands out to me. I don't make such a big deal out of such things. I have bigger fish to fry. I don't agree with the roots behind it and I don't play into it, but I simply live my life in recognition of the harvest. Bless the Lord. It means nothing to me whatsoever. We really do have far more important things to focus or attention on in my opinion. So you go ahead and carve your pumpkin with your sweet princess and bring the harvest home!
I think celebrating the harvest is all that the pagans were doing.I think that somehow it all got twisted around to be thought of as something evil, because theirs was not the Christian God.(Mine is,though…so please…don't send hate my way:))
When I was president of our PTO, we had a family who refused to participate in our fall festival, unless everything "Halloween" was avoided…no candy,no costumes,nothing!Although I wanted to be respectful of their beliefs I just thought they were taking it a little too far…and apparently so did our principal.She said, "Don't they watch The History Channel?I wonder if they know that their evergreen tree at Christmas is a pagan symbol?"I was surprised that she knew that and thought her remark was funny,albeit somewhat irreverent.But,ultimately,I believe a holiday is about what YOU believe it's about…what's in your heart…not some symbol,or where it originally came from.Differing perspectives are so interesting…