But scary is good on Halloween.

Now that I have kids, I want them to have the same magical experiences I had, and I realize so much I did not know then! Yet sill, I wrestle with the tension I grew up with at church, my family enjoying Halloween, and my church who abhorred it. I’ve had to sift through what I believe and why, and its not easy because it seems everyone has an opinion about this holiday! I know it has pagan roots….. but doesn’t all holidays?

When my oldest was 3 we went to a church Harvest Festival. I was hoping to recapture the experience I had as a child and it sadly disappointed. The lines were long and I since it wasn’t my church I did not know anyone and hardly talked with anyone. It disappointed. I realize now that what I wanted was a sense of connection and even though I was in a church environment, it was lacking.

The past several years we’ve trick-or-treated in my neighborhood. My mother in law wanted us to come and visit where they recently purchased a house, but we declined because we enjoy trick or treating where we live. Our neighbors expect to see my kids every year. They set aside special treats for them. And since we live just blocks from the elementary school my kids attend, we inevitably wind up walking (or running!) with other folks that aren’t my immediate neighbors but are my community. The parents trail a few feet behind the kids, and we chat and walk with our coffee mugs and ooh and ah over the cutes costumes. Is it a tentative connection? Is it superficial? Perhaps. But I like to hope that it builds to something more.

And besides that, it is just fun. I liked your idea of hot chocolate and cider to hand out, or a party with a big pot of soup or chili, but it has to be accompanied by trick-or-treating. My neighbors are expecting us to knock on their doors.

Garrett – That sounds awesome! I might have to try that one sometime.

Sara – I saw you were asking about a pumpkin patch on HWY 1. If you’re gonna be over Santa Cruz way, my old church, Christian Life Center does a great job with their Harvest Festival. If you are looking for a place, swing by there.

I get what you’re saying and can see why it’s nice to have an event to attend also. It would be interesting to know why that church no longer has the event you’re talking about. I’m actually more OK with the events when it’s just simply to bless the community. But when it’s to try and bring people into the church, I think some churches that had that mentality are doing it less cause often it doesn’t work that way.

And yeah, I think it’s a little funny that we have to use the word Harvest. I mean who really harvests anything anymore? Not to mention we do the event on Halloween at lots of churches, dress up, and hand out candy. So really it’s just an alternative word that means the exact same thing but we just don’t wanna say it. Maybe it’s like the reverse version of saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Hmmm…never thought of it that way. K, now I’m just rambling.

Now we are looking at buying a house of our own in a new community. I hope that we will be able to bring a similar get together to our new neighborhood.

And the selfish part of me finds me wishing more places were doing the community event. In fact last year we trick or treated and stayed home and it was LAME. The kids didn’t have fun, I didn’t have fun. This year we’re seeking out a church festival so that we can live it up with friends and family instead of isolating ourselves at home watching the DVR and intermittently answering doorbells. I think ultimately we all think too much about this holiday. Odds are if you don’t already know your neighbors you aren’t going to choose a holiday in which they’re all in disguise to say hi. *wink*