Comments on: Non-Halloween Celebrations That Just So Happen To Fall on Halloween

By: faron

faron — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:40:49 +0000

My favorite costume was a married couple at HAC. (they used to have real good Halloween Parties and real gory haunted hallways.) He was the Pope and his 8 1/2 pregnant wife was a nun. Looked like something right out of a Chick tract.

By: escapee

escapee — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 20:18:45 +0000

I can’t get over my dread and loathing of Halloween from my Fundie days. But I also hate how Halloween seems to be the biggest church Holiday of the year. No one spends as much money putting on a good fall festival on Oct 31st like every church in town.

By: tigersharksteph

tigersharksteph — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:38:54 +0000

anyonw else find it comical that fundys will defend to the end that the bible is truth and not just a story book and then refer to those mentioned in the bible as charaters? just sayin, when they talk about george washington in a history book they dont refer to him as a charater, but a person. it just makes me lol!

By: The Runaway Lawyer

The Runaway Lawyer — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:54:30 +0000

I’ve heard of Christian “haunted” houses having things like showing the evils of abortion in graphic detail and other really unpleasant stuff. I’m not sure how that’s better in any way than a maniacal bloody clown chasing you through a building.

Further, if my preschoolers get any more of those little trick or treat booklets that tell them they are going to hell this year, I may sneak back out with some eggs after I put them to bed. How is giving little children nightmares acceptable to some people?

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:03:31 +0000

Yes, be glad you haven’t. It’s basically a “Christian” haunted house. If that makes any sense. This is how it usually works, as far as I’m concerned. It follows the path of 2 people. One just happens to be saved, the other not. Then something tragic happens, and they both die. Then with some other little features in there, you end up going through Heaven and through Hell. Get to see the good side where the saved person goes, and the bad side where the “bad” person. You get to sit back and watch as people are “suffering” in Hell, then leave. Then, with this nice guilt on your shoulders, you finish, then get witnessed at. Good ol’ arm-twisting usually.
Basically that’s it. So be glad!

By: Marsh

Marsh — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:21:35 +0000

“Judgement house”? Never heard of that. Should I be glad?

By: Darrell

Darrell — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:05:05 +0000

That’s a great idea, Eric! Good to know you turn it into a chance to bring some joy to others instead of just the usual cavity-inducing candy hoarding.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:09:03 +0000

RJW,

Our children trick or treated but not in the usual sense of going door to door through the neighborhood. We had several nursing homes and assisted living centers in the area that would give candy out. That way, the kids got candy but they also had to interact with the residents who were so glad to see the kids.

By: Darrell

Darrell — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:50:48 +0000

a playing card (two sheets of poster board + red Sharpie = ace of hearts!)

Playing cards are of the devil too!!

By: UH

UH — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:44:21 +0000

RJW,

See if your kids want to participate, first of all. Maybe they want to dress up, maybe they just want to hand out candy, or maybe they don’t want to do anything at all.

If they do want to participate (and you do too), explain that lots of holidays mean lots of different things to different people. For example, Christmas is important to Christians because we celebrate the birth of Jesus. But other people just see it as a time to get together with family, and that’s how they choose to celebrate.

Explain that most people see Halloween as a time to dress up in silly costumes, visit with neighbors, and maybe get some candy – and that’s how you’ll see it in your family. Explain that it’s just a celebration of fun with friends for you, and that you want them to wear costumes that represent fun things, not scary or evil things.

That’s how my parents approached it when I went to a very fundy-leaning school as a child. Our teachers told us that Halloween was OF THE DEVIL, but my parents took a much more lighthearted approach. My costumes in my childhood were a princess, a playing card (two sheets of poster board + red Sharpie = ace of hearts!), and a box of popcorn (painted a box with red and white stripes, wore the box, and stapled clear bags of popped popcorn to the top). I had fun and didn’t feel anything sinister about looking like a box of popcorn at all.

Of course, you can also choose to not do the costume-and-candy thing (some of my friends simply oppose the commercialism of it) and get together with friends and roast marshmallows over a bonfire and drink apple cider. It’s up to you.

I hope you have fun with your family this Halloween, however you choose to observe it!