Halloween. Just the mention of it brings up thoughts of parties, costumes, spooky but edible foods, trick or treating and more. Some of us think of the happy times we had during our childhood of those times.
But, there is a dark side to the holiday. And I want to share with you some of it so that if you don't have a balanced knowledge of what it really is, you will. And then you can decide for yourselves if it is one holiday you really want to celebrate. Or not.
It is certainly a popular time of fall. Take a walk or ride around a neighborhood and see all the different ways that people decorate their yards for it. Some are simple as with a ghost or two in trees. Others are more frightening, with some really ugly looking creatures all over their yards. On trick or treating night, it is nothing to go to a house that plays spooky music with its volume up for everyone to hear and little children to be scared to even go there.
So first off, take the idea of trick or treating. Where did it originate? Is it evil? If so, is there an alternative?
Did you know that the practice began with the Celtic tradition of celebrating the end of the year by dressing up as evil spirits? They believed that from moving from one year into the new one, the dead and the living would overlap. Demons would roam the earth again during those times. Dressing up as demons were their defense against the real ones so that if you encountered one, they would think you were one of them and would leave you alone.
During the Middle Ages, children and poor people would dress up in those kinds of costumes begging money or food during those times in exchange for prayers or songs and often on behalf of their dead.
The Catholic Church got into the act wanting to attract people to it thus converting them by turning these times into what they called "All Souls Day," "All Saints Day'" or "All Hallow Eve's Day." They would have the people dress up as angels or saints, with a few demons included.
Eventually, the holiday made its way from Europe to the United States and the earliest known reference to the term "trick or treat" dates back to November 4, 1927, printed in the edition of the Blackie, Alberta Canada Herald. It reads as follows:
Hallowe'en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word of "trick or treat" to which the inmates gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing.
And so what is the big deal! Most of us can say that we don't dress up or allow our kids tto dress up and go out doing damage to property or steal things from others. We don't torment people or demand anything from anyone for real. It is just a night of fun and parties that we enjoy.
Maybe not, but look at how the holiday began. Do we really want to identify with that? And it is not just "trick or treating" that is a part of this holiday, which we will look at for the next few days.
So what is an alternative be in not participating in this part of it?
Years ago, a pastor had said on a Christian radio talk program that when you take something away from a child, you need to replace it with something else. I am not sure who that was as like I said, it was years ago. But there are some Christian Churches that do not believe that is the right strategy. They believe if something is wrong, you just dump it altogether. And while I agree to some degree with that, I believe that it is ok to replace it with something that is good in this case.
Upon finding that we did believe that it was wrong, we went to a church in which we became leaders with other parents over a group of children in Children's Ministry. When it came time for the "Halloween Season" we called it a "Fall Festival." We had games, and decorations and food. What we left out was the scary part of the season. Children and adults could come dressed up but not in scary costumes and biblical characters were encouraged. Maybe biblical characters would seem boring. However, prizes were given in that category as well as others, and it was fun to guess who the children came as and how original their costumes were. Many children from in the county came to this event even those that did not attend our church.
In later years, after our own children were grown, what became called "Trunk and Treat" became popular whereby a church would invite parents to park in the church parking lot and pass out candy to the children from the trunks of their cars. And it hosted a fall party within the church that evening too.
As aforementioned,, some churches would not and do not approve of replacing Halloween with any kind of activity as these. And yet, insisting on not allowing kids to take part in some other kind of activity, I do not feel is right. In replacing them, our children do not have to feel entirely left out of the season. They can have just as much fun if not more fun in a church activity that does not glorify the evil aspects of the holiday.
Right or wrong? It is our choice as parents. I believe the church should teach parents what is wrong with Halloween. And then offer alternatives for those that agree. But it is up to you to decide for your own families always praying that God will lead you in the ways you should go.
Thanks for coming by today Friends. With this holiday coming up, I think it is important to examine the different things that are celebrated and their points of origination. This helps us as parents to get a balance in our knowledge of what is good and what is evil. I hope you will stay with me. Tomorrow's question will be: What does the Bible say about Celebrating Halloween?
Today's source: The History of Trick Or Treating Is Weirder Than You Thought | Smart News | Smithsonian
Have a wonderfully blessed day and be sure to bless others as God has blessed you!
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