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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Oct 24 2007 at 11:18pm | IP Logged
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We had great fun with these tonight, Jenn. Thanks so much!
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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dollylima
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| Posted: Oct 25 2007 at 7:02am | IP Logged
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Anne McD wrote:
| My biggest pet peeve-- the older kids who don't bother to dress up, ring my door bell and then thrust their backbacks (still full of school books!) at me for their handout! |
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Yep, Anne, that's why I make each one tell me what he or she is dressed as. At least that way they have to stop and think of an answer.
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Heather
instantkiwi
Wife to Tim
Mama to Ian 2/27/00
Mama to MaryElise 7/22/08
Step-mom to Abby, Logan and Luke
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stacykay
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humanaevitae wrote:
We've jumped on using ghosts to symbol the poor souls who don't say "boo" but say "pray for me".
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Our behind the house neighbor has a flag she puts out for Halloween, something to the effect 'the only spirit welcome here is the Holy Spirit.' I am not positive that is exact, but it's nice to see.
We get some kids who aren't dressed, but usually they are the ones who come to the suburbs to trick-or-treat (unfortunately our neighborhood isn't terribly segregated so it is easy to pick out the kids who don't live here. Most of the littles who come from Detroit have a costume, but not the olders. And yes, I feel bad for them and give them more.) We do get a few from our own neighborhood, teens, who aren't dressed, but we have lived here for over 10 years, and I know most of the kids in a 3 or 4 block radius. I kind of know who to expect.
We average 100 kids a year. What do you all get, in numbers of children? (I count the candy and figure it that way!)
God Bless,
Stacy in MIjj
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organiclilac
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teachingmom wrote:
| I just wanted to add that it's really, as Stacy wrote, the over the top decorating that bothers me. Sometimes it seems to like Halloween decorating is getting up there with Christmas decorating in popularity. |
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I actually just saw, at our local garden store, a Halloween tree. It was like a plastic Christmas tree, but all black with orange lights. I have to say that, although I am trying to get into the spirit with some spiders and bats and such, that the Halloween tree really bothered me. I see it as taking a symbol of life and twisting it to be a symbol of death.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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teachingmyown
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We do Halloween. The kids usually dress up as a saint, though. It is pretty funny to have neighbors say "And who are you, dear, a princess?" and have my daughter say "Yes, I am Saint Elizabeth of Hungary!" Or when they think Joan of Arc is just another lady knight.
Last year, as there was no All Saints Party to attend, I broke down and bought costumes for the first time in several years. We had a Lord of the Rings/ Disney Princess Halloween. This year will be the same.
We emphasize All Saints, but I just think the whole atmosphere of Halloween is fun. We decorate with pumpkins and fake spider webs, and little ghosts hanging from trees. Nothing gross or scary. Just fun, in my opinion.
I won't be going out with them this year, not up to the walking, so I will miss the fun.  And no one comes to our door because we are tucked in the woods with a long driveway. So, I guess I will have to sit here a nibble on the candy we bought for the non-existent trick-or-treaters! 
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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chicken lady
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teachingmyown wrote:
So, I guess I will have to sit here a nibble on the candy we bought for the non-existent trick-or-treaters! |
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 I hope it is something Yummmy, like Reeses 
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teachingmyown
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Actually, the kids get the Reeses in this house. They need to stay away from the Kit Kats and Butterfingers!
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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KellyJ
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We don't do Halloween. Our street isn't really a neighborhood, so that's helpful relating to others who do celebrate Halloween. The past couple years we've gone to an All Hallow's Eve saint parade, Mass, Rosary, prayers-for-treats deal. Our boys enjoy it.
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KellyJ
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JenniferS
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We dress up as saints, too. The kids usually have to explain to a few people who they are, but we only go to 5-10 houses, so most of the people know who we are and are pretty good at figuring out who the kids are. We don't ever get trick or treaters, either. When dh and I both taught in the "regular classroom", we each had one student that would come every year, but those two girls are now in high school. Now nobody comes to our house.
Jen
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tntreefarm
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| Posted: Oct 27 2007 at 2:48pm | IP Logged
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I was hoping I would find some discussion here about Halloween. We have not done it with out kids. reasons concern over the "evil" theme, over commercialization, candy- when the kids were small white sugar did not touch their lips.
Last year due to pressure from one child in particular we did an All Saints party on All Saints Day. They dressed up- one angel, one Mary, one St. George without his dragon and two non-dressers. We played silly games and they got marshmallows, m & M 's and other bad stuff. They enjoyed it, but this year the pressure from the neighboorhood kids is getting worse. We have tried the emphasis on All Saints. We've worked along the theme that the Devil is real and that some things you just shouldn't "play around" with.
Now they are getting older and explaining why their christian friends can and they can't is tough enough. But you can always play the "they don't understand the Communion of Saints". However, explaining why their Catholic homeschooling friends do it and we don't gets really sticky.
One thing that frustrates me greatly is that when I was growing up it wasn't that we didn't trick or treat, but that the church sent a clear message that the real thing was All Saint's Day. Even had the day off since it was a Holy Day when I was in Catholic grade school.
Now for the past several years our church has been doing a trunk or treat where kids go around the church parking lot and get candy from people's decorated automobile trunks. This is done on the saturday prior to 10/31 after sat night mass. It wouldn't be so bad but there are no restrictions or even suggestions as to appropriate costumes and decorations. As a last minute decision last year my husband took a couple of our children and they did enjoy the bonfire afterwards,but he said that the trunk decorations and music coming from the autos and the way the kids were dressed was just not what he expected in keeping with our faith tradition.
So, I'm wondering if you don't do it how do you explain to your children your friends that do Halloween.
Thanks
Cathy
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Elena
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I just updated my post and links from last year and included a very brief history of the Holiday as well as some pictures of my table setting for All Saints Day and our costumes. Feel free to stop by!
We did do trick or treat at my mom's retirement home. It was great. The older folks loved to see the kids in their costumes and I think my older kids got to see that they were really making these folks happy just by being there.
I liked it because we were trick or treating in doors instead of out in the cold! It was a good time for all of us.
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Elena
Wife to Peter, mom of many!
My Domestic Church
One Day at a Time
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ladybugs
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tntreefarm wrote:
I was hoping I would find some discussion here about Halloween. We have not done it with out kids. reasons concern over the "evil" theme, over commercialization, candy- when the kids were small white sugar did not touch their lips.
Last year due to pressure from one child in particular we did an All Saints party on All Saints Day. They dressed up- one angel, one Mary, one St. George without his dragon and two non-dressers. We played silly games and they got marshmallows, m & M 's and other bad stuff. They enjoyed it, but this year the pressure from the neighboorhood kids is getting worse. We have tried the emphasis on All Saints. We've worked along the theme that the Devil is real and that some things you just shouldn't "play around" with.
Now they are getting older and explaining why their christian friends can and they can't is tough enough. But you can always play the "they don't understand the Communion of Saints". However, explaining why their Catholic homeschooling friends do it and we don't gets really sticky.
One thing that frustrates me greatly is that when I was growing up it wasn't that we didn't trick or treat, but that the church sent a clear message that the real thing was All Saint's Day. Even had the day off since it was a Holy Day when I was in Catholic grade school.
Now for the past several years our church has been doing a trunk or treat where kids go around the church parking lot and get candy from people's decorated automobile trunks. This is done on the saturday prior to 10/31 after sat night mass. It wouldn't be so bad but there are no restrictions or even suggestions as to appropriate costumes and decorations. As a last minute decision last year my husband took a couple of our children and they did enjoy the bonfire afterwards,but he said that the trunk decorations and music coming from the autos and the way the kids were dressed was just not what he expected in keeping with our faith tradition.
So, I'm wondering if you don't do it how do you explain to your children your friends that do Halloween.
Thanks
Cathy
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Hi Cathy!
I think the most important thing to remember in terms of Halloween and All Saints day is that your influence will be the strongest with your children....and that
Halloween can actually be a very good thing!
When my children were small, I was very concerned about the evil and the sugar, too, that surround Halloween, but what I learned was that by allowing our children to participate in the trick or treating we were actually participating in an act of charity for our elderly neighbors! They love seeing the children and when our dear neighbor Frankie was alive, we would actually go and visit with her for about an hour before trick or treating. She would always have a special treat for my children and she would always take a photo. In the days following Halloween, she'd send a note telling me how grateful she was for the time we spent with her. When she died two years ago, it was wonderful for me to know that I still had those photos of her with my children.
In regards to the scarier and evil aspects of Halloween, it is possible to use those times as apologetical times where you teach your kids, too! I think it's a real gift to be able to turn certain situations around and give it a positive twist! That is a wonderful thing to model!
Now, I'm off to start the day - WITH that cup of coffee!
Whooo hooooo!
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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nissag
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Well now, we've been very kindly invited to go along to trick-or-treat with friends in their (very well-populated) neighborhood. That means that I'm scrambling to put together some costumes. My kids all came to me with Saints they wanted to be - before I even mentioned it. I went out to AC Moore for t-shirts and to a local overstock store for (of all things!) table linens. We'll put everything together tomorrow and call it an art project.
Here's our list:
William - St. George
Louis - his dragon
Cate - St. Margaret of Scotland
Jack - St. Louis Capet
Carrie - Bl. Kateri
Mama - St. Brigid
Sophie - her cow (!)
Papa - St. Francis of Assisi
We're still debating whether St. Francis ought to appear with his deer (one of our Oberhasli goats!). And we've started planning next year's All Saints Party, which should be great fun!
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Nissa
Deacon's wife, mother of eleven, farmer, teacher, creator, cook.
At Home With the Gadbois Family
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donnalynn
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We had a St George and a dragon one year! I made the cutest dragon out of a 12 month green one piece suit - I made a tail and sewed on some scales down the back and made some wings out of felt that pinned on.
I thought it would be so cute to have my eight year-old dress up as St. Francis and the five year old as a wolf this year. When the eight year-old was five he was the wolf to older sister's Little Red Riding Hood.
But alas ds is determined to be Peter Pan. Maybe next year! I was just thinking today how many sweet costumes for older and younger siblings could be made to represent Saints and their special animal friends! I'll work on them for next year!
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donnalynn
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kingvozzo
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We had a ST. George and his dragon last year too. My then 3y.o insisted on wearing his dino costume, so he became a dragon! It was very cute!
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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nissag
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Awww. Now I know St. George and the Dragon is a good idea!
My poor husband is so worried about the people whose homes we'll be visiting. He's not sure about being so public about the way we celebrate the day. I said to him that most people would just see a king, a queen, a knight, a dragon, a cow, a nun, a monk and an indian. And if they ask, our very charming 6 year-old, William will completely disarm them by telling them who we are in his own special way.
He still thinks the whole world is Catholic and does things like we do!
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Nissa
Deacon's wife, mother of eleven, farmer, teacher, creator, cook.
At Home With the Gadbois Family
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chicken lady
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 9:34am | IP Logged
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nissag wrote:
He still thinks the whole world is Catholic and does things like we do!
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This made me smile: I remember when we lived in town and my oldest dd came to me quite perplexed, she found out our neighbors were not Catholic  Her little 6 yr old mind could not understand how that could be
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Halloween Yes or No?
