Tonight I started out at home treating while Gary was at Indian Creek trunk and treating. It will be hard pressed as to who has more fun or gets more candy --us or the children!
Of course my mind went back to the times when our kids were little and at home. Growing up as a pastor's kid, Gary wasn't certain it was legal or okay to celebrate this holiday. I convinced him that it was all about the kids and the candy and could be quite fun.
One year Gary took the opportunity to escort the kids through the neighborhoods and viola, he discovered that the streets were filled with people and he loved it! I never had to, I mean, got to, take the kids again! He loved the chance to connect with the neighbors. And suddenly, Halloween became a fun time to meet and greet!
I remember several years before Indian Creek had a facility, we joined with Olathe Christian Church to host a HALLELUJAH party as a safe alternative to kids! The students there really got into it and created an incredible journey through the Bible and the life of Christ which even adults enjoyed! Jeremy and Luke wore their Superman p.j.'s, Kristen was a ballerina and Megan wore a flower girl dress from Gary's brother's wedding that Kristen had worn! Little did we know Megan would be celebrating at the real HALLELUJAH Party in heaven the next year.
I found a book, Halloween, Is It for Real? when the children were young that told the story of the origin of the holi (holy) day. I read it to my children many times as well as to my three year old class on Sundays. We learned how that Halloween or as some call it, the devil's holiday, began in what is now Brittain and France. People called the Celts celebrated the end of summer wtih pagan rites. They believed that a lord of death sent evil spirits into animals, who then roamed around all winter playing terrible tricks on people. To escape, you had to wear a disguise so that the evil spirits would think you were one of them.
The book taught us that centuries later, Christians tried to change the holiday from a festival of fear to one of joy. October 31 eventually became All Hallow's Eve or All Saints' Day. The Bible says every Christian is a saint and on this day we celebrate all the saints who had loved God and died. Celebrate the joy those loved ones are experiencing in heaven and remember the good times you had with them when they were alive.
So in honor of our youngest daughter who is celebrating All Hallow's Eve in heaven we celebrate Halloween by giving out candy and joining in festivities like Trunk or Treat that might be a safe way for people to drive into a church parking lot for the first time. Who knows maybe they will find their way back to God and celebrate Halloween for real!