Trick or Treating

[Pastor Bill]

OK, I know opinions on this vary greatly, and I don't want to start a war here, but I have been rolling some things around in my head on Trick or Treating and wanted some suggestions.

Situation, Our kids have always pretty much stayed away from all the Halloween stuff, and we always had plenty of activities at the church so they didn't feel left out.

This year, if we do something at the church, there really aren't alot of young kids, so it would just be ours, and that's not much fun.

We had someone in the church offer their neighborhood as a good place to trick or treat, since we are new to town, and not really located in much of a neighborhood, and we are leaning towards doing that, but are unsure how to proceed without confusing the kids.

I have no problem with dressing up, but yes I know the origins and problems with the holiday as a whole. Our older two are old enough to understand that, and don't really even ask about it, but I know this year will feel left out.

SO.....

Here is my idea, let them dress up (they generally do every year for church activities, so this isn't new) let them go Trick or Treating, and have some little cards or something printed up basically saying something like "No Tricks, but thanks for the Treat" maybe a short sentence or two, verse, maybe church name, etc.

Haven't really got it all together in my head yet, so I thought I'd throw it out there and see what everyone says.

So, let the suggestions fly. good idea? bad idea? suggestions on what to say?

[Pastor Bill]

OK, I tried to add an "other" option, but it doesn't seem to be taking it.

[dolfan]

I would say, "Get over it...", but I don't think you're not. There's nothing wrong with door-to-door candy collections on October 31. There's nothing wrong with saying, "Thanks" to the candy-givers with a nice little card with a polite thank-you verse, either. It's only evil for those who want evil by it. Otherwise, it's just dress up and eat sweets til you get sick. Your approach is fine. Don't sweat it.

[Worshipn4ever]

Dad didn't look well upon Halloween. So...I could still go to parties as a kid and did the church thing (and he would make my outfits...well the accesories that went with it...like my petals for my flower costume), but was NOT allowed to go to the block party. I think that's still in me. I have no desire to go these days. I have friends who go every year. I just don't.

The last year at church we did a "Trunk or Treat". Decorate yourself and car and give candy out. We're doing it again this year. Last year our pastor and his wife went as hippies...Pastor had an afro. Great stuff. (even funnier if you know John A Stone and can picture him with an afro)

I'm going as Snoopy this year and several others are going as Peanuts characters! I'm excited...b/c Snoopy is my hero.

[Ilovebigcats]

We are the same way as you with our children. Usually there is a activity at church for the children so they don't feel left out.
Last few years we have had no other children so here's what we do.

They don't dress up. We just go around knocking on doors inviting people to church or upcoming revival (we always seem to have one around now). We have tracts or invites printed up. It's even cool if you get the kids to color or draw one and use that as the main image in whatever you are passing out. The people are usually happy to have the invite AND it sparks GOOD contacts from people who ask more questions. The people usually ask if they can have some candy. Of couse they can. The kids take it and say thank you. I am usually near by in the car with the newest baby. The kids run the candy to car to put in a Walmart bag and then hit the next house. They are told not to ask for candy but say thanks if you get it. The point is to reach out to people that normally wouldn't open the door to such.

[mom of two]

-We let our girls go trick-or-treating, but there are rules as to what we can dress up as...no witches, devils, vampires, etc. The girls don't mind at all. In fact, this year they both want to be Pocohantas. I have discussed the reasons, and they are fine with our rules. I don't see any problem with letting them go...they have been told the origins, but we decided to "take back" this night.

[KiMmY]

I'm all about the Trick or Treating! I love it. I went as a kid and my daughter goes now. I think it's an individual conviction. If it bothers you then don't do it. What ever floats your boat.

I dressed up as Jason last year. I borrowed my brother-in-law's white hockey mask, bought a cheap flannel shirt and carried my camping axe. My daughter was a princess and Jeff...he was the all impressive, never duplicated.....Jeff. Yeah...I'm 28 and I still Trick or Treat. : )

[Kenya]

When the girls were very small, I opted to just ignore the whole holiday. I felt that if I even acknowledged that the day was any different than any other, I was giving credit to the devil. I'm sure my inlaws had a real problem with that - but I was young and stubborn back then. Now I'm just old and stubborn. lol.

Anyway, one day a good friend of mine talked to me and told me that my girls were missing out on something that really wasn't harmful for them because of my own personal convictions. She asked me if I trick-or-treated. I answered yes. I remember how much fun it was dressing up as Wonder Woman and walking around the neighborhood to collect free candy.

To my amazement, the Lord convicted ME. I really think that I had just jumped on the latest Christian bandwagon without really thinking it through. The girls began trick or treating. We kind of "took back" the day, like Angie suggested. Now every year, we hand out tracts to the trick-or-treaters and carve out a big cross in our pumpkin. I walk(ed) the kids around the neighborhood with their friends. It was one of the most fun, bonding days of the whole year. Those are some memories that I will have for a long time.

Now, I am a firm believer that some things are not wrong in and of themselves - they are what we make them.

[DaJudge]

I have no problem with trick or treating. I loved it as a kid, of course back then we didn't do Halloween alternatives at chruch. These days we have a Hallalujah Jubilee with a "trunk or treat" at our church and the kids seem to love it. Our congregation is highly supportive of it and bring in tons of candy. Our kids don't seem to feel left out. They tell us that they get way more candy at church then they ever got trick or treating. The parents love it because they don't have to lug the kids from house to house and don't worry about the kids getting hit by a car and such.

[Paully_44]

Man, I love this time of year. I love Halloween. I can't wait for next Monday to take the kids out Trick or Treating. Heading to the pumpkin patch tonight to pick out our pumpkins for carving.

[DeWayneTN]

This was my costume for most of my pre-teen years - every year. Doesn't look so much like Batman now (see - they even had to use his emblem as a nametag) but back then I thought it was the coolest thing.

[DaJudge]

I had the exact same Batman costume Dewayne. I was also Superman one year, Fonzie ("Hey"), and this one, the great officer Frank Poncherelo!

[Pastor Bill]

When our kids were first old enough to understand, we were still living in Berea, and there was at that time alot of junk going on in the area (very liberal school, preaching "tolerance") at one time it is my understanding that the local wiccan group even met just a couple doors down from our apartment. The holiday was made to be much more than when I was a kid, and like many have mentioned, there was stuff going on at the church, so it really wasn't missing out on anything, but the situation has changed.

At church we always had some restrictions on what they should wear, and generally encouraged dressing as Bible Characters (they learned alot that way) Rose always talked about dressing one up as "her little plague" so she picked up a frog costume for Michael (AKA Mouse) this year. We haven't really planned any farther than that, although Kenya offered her neighborhood as a good place to go, and her girls may even go along since they know the neighborhood.

[dolfan]

Ponch costumes. One year, when I was in 5th grade, a part-Hispanic boy named Joey LOVED Ponch. He'd always want to play CHIP's and be Ponch. He came to our elementary Halloween thing that year as Ponch. I went as the Fonz --- complete with slick hair. Have you tried to find a Ponch costume on eBay? I couldn't after seeing your post. Wow. Blast from the past.

My wife is going to be a Viking at work. Her company has a big thing with the kids in their care. She's really made a terrific costume and bought a very cool Viking hat that looks exactly like the Minnesota Vikings' helmet mascot. She'll have a sword and everything.

My daughter is going trick or treating as a fairy princess, purple -- her new favorit color.

[scooter]

We usually do some kind of alternative.

It is good to teach children boundries when dealing with the society we live in and this is a good example.