Halloween

It's Halloween today. The celebration of Halloween is such a moral dilemma for me because it is SO much not a Christian holiday. Its traditions are steeped in superstition and pagan practices and don't glorify God. However, while I don't want to honor the foundation of the day, it seems to me that many of the roots of the traditions of Halloween have been forgotten. Kids (and most adults) don't realize that pumpkins were carved to scare away spirits or that costumes were worn to hide from evil entities. The traditions have morphed into more positive, family-connecting, neighborhood-gathering activities.

I love seeing the little kids dressed as ladybugs, firefighters, ninjas, and cupcakes. I love gathering with friends to carve big smiling faces into pumpkins and roast the seeds that we pull from them. I love the neighborly spirit that comes with filling all of our kids' pillowcases with candy. There is nothing evil left in these activities, so I do choose to take part in them. I don't go to haunted houses, try to scare kids, or decorate with webs, witches, and ghosts. That is where my line is drawn.

As for this Halloween: It is rainy, windy, and cold outside and I'm a bit concerned that I won't be able to get rid of all of the candy I bought for the kids. It will then end up on my hips and that is bad news....a negative side effect of Halloween. We'll have to see what happens....I'll keep you posted.

The moment of truth:
It's 5:00 and the kids are trickling slowly to my door. They are bundled up and wet, but I see that some Kodiak kids are used to this kind of stuff and a little rain and wind won't stop them on their quest for exorbitant amounts of sugar. It is miserable out, but the sparkly little fairies and butterflies are wearing rain boots, the foil-wrapped tin man is sporting a heavy layer of long underwear, and the whoopie cushion is wrapped up in a beanie and warm scarf.  I'm rewarding their efforts with handfuls of goodies. I'm just so glad I'm not out there.

It's 6:20 and I think that all of the bold souls that were going to brave the weather have done so. The dark, wet street is empty and I have a lot of candy left. I think I'll just ding-dong-ditch my bowl on my neighbors porch and watch her hips expand. (Yeah right. Megan could eat the entire contents of Willy Wonka's factory and not gain an ounce. I'd hate her for it if she wasn't so darn likable.)

Thinking about how wet and miserable the trick-or-treaters must be makes me want some hot cocoa, so I'm off to make some. I leave you with pictures of a few of my favorite kids. I hope you all had a great (dry) Halloween!

Little Ladybug Alison

Dinosaur Tyce

Firefighter Trevor