Google never ceases to amaze me. I'm a bit older than most on the mom squad panel and there's a lot I'm still learning.
I'm not against allowing children to dress up for Halloween. After all, I grew up at a time when Halloween was innocent and fun. I can understand why so many parents avoid Halloween. It's become both physically dangerous as well as promoting unchristian images that we might not want our children to see.
So...I googled "Christian Halloween". Google brought up over 4 million suggestions. WOW!
I clicked on a particularly interesting site. http://annieshomepage.com/alternative.html
Annie not only posted some cool facts, but she also gave ideas like...
Find a local Church that is having an alternative celebration and attend.
Some Churches have a Bible Character Dress Up Contest.
Wanda shared some of the costume ideas she has used for her daughter. "My Church has gone to a "Fall Festival" theme and my children dress in "Christian" costumes. And oh how they enjoy trying to be creative. Here are some of their past ideas.....the parable of the woman who lost one piece of silver. (my daughter had a long dress on, broom, candle, and coin purse). Another was Sarah when she was old and pregnant. (she had gray hair, a big belly). Pharaoh's Daughter (dressed in purple, with lots of shine, she had a basket with a baby, and lots of make-up). These are some of the ones I can remember."
Why not start a NEW family tradition for October 31st in your family? You can have a family meeting and make the plans for the special evening. Choose some FUN & CREATIVE things to do as a family. Maybe even have a Board Game Marathon. Give each member of the family a special responsibility. Each one of you can do something to plan, prepare and take part in, for your special evening. Family times are too often rare or non existent. Bake some cookies and make some popcorn the old fashioned way. Have some FAMILY FUN. Next year you can have the 2nd Annual Family Fun Night. You can't have the "first annual" because if you think about it, it really has to be the second time to be "annual".
Have a celebration with a theme. How about Christian Heroes and Martyrs? It was on October 31, 1517 that young Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church and lit the fire of the Reformation. How about a Bible Quiz or charades game. Or bring out the Bible Board games like a Bible Trivia game.
How about a missionary evening? Choose the country where you have a Missionary that your church supports. Then use the country to help you choose the food you make and the decorations. You can even have people wear clothing or a hat to go with your theme. Why not make it a potluck dinner? You make the entree and others can bring dessert and side dishes. You are only limited by your own imagination. Why not contact the missionaries by email? Ask them to send you some information or links.
Here is a current email about what one Christian Family is doing:"Annie, I happened across your page while doing research for our annual "Jesus is Lord of Halloween too" party...we are a family who celebrated Halloween for many years until God changed our lives. For the past 3 years we have chosen to celebrate Jesus instead. I would like to share with you some of the things we do at our "party". The children spend the afternoon attaching candy to tracts or bookmarks (whatever we can afford that year) to hand out the trick or treaters. After the tracts are done, we carve pumpkins with crosses or the name of Jesus or any other Christian symbol. We do dunk for apples, we also play all sorts of silly games, some include "finish the bible verse" and "bible trivia." My kids have told me that they have more fun praising Jesus on that night than they ever had "trick or treating" God bless you and your pages! Mrs. F"
From a recent visitor: Our church, East Brent Baptist (not that it matters because there are NO denominations in Heaven), in Pensacola, with about 5,000+ members, has Judgment House for the two weekends around Halloween. That is where Tour guides (me!) and a group of people (usually limited to 15-18) move from room to room where, in each room, actors/actresses stay and reenact the same scene for each group. There is always a message about choices and their consequences and there is always a message about Jesus and loving Him. We always end up in Heaven with Jesus delivering His message through the actor. Isn't it nice to be able to go to "heaven" so many times during the season??!! We have a ball! My whole family is involved in some way. Our sons are actors and my husband is in technical, and we thoroughly enjoy participating. It's amazing what can come from a Judgment House because just recently, some people made it their business to "find" me to tell me that (not really) because of me taking them through, not once but twice, TWO years ago, they came to East Brent because it was a "walking" church, not just a "talking" church and they were saved! Praise GOD! Of course, it was NOT me, but the Lord at work in their hearts! I was just the instrument.
I have other suggestions about how to bring the Bible into this holiday. There are many stories about how Jesus raised the dead and casts out evil spirits and these aren't scary stories with blood and gore! I also try to tell my kids that there is one Spirit, that is not a spook or floating apparition, like in many tales and movies. It's the Holy Spirit! God sends his Holy Spirit to us, as a Comforter, (John 14:26), which is very comforting to know! We can see that in the final days, the devil will be thrown into the lake of fire and no longer be able to deceive the world, (Rev. 20:10).
I loved this idea from Kraftykid.com
Halloween Pumpkin Christian Craft
Supplies:1 - sheet of orange construction paper (or white paper colored orange)hole punch, scissors, markers (green, brown, black, orange).
Instructions:1. Draw a circle on the orange construction paper (this makes the pumpkin head)2. Color a stem on top green or brown.3. Write any bible verse on the back of the pumpkin.4. On the stem write: "You picked a sweet treat from my bowl, so here's a sweet treat for your soul." 5. Cut it out, punch a hole at the top of the stem, and tie it to a Halloween treat.
How will you celebrate Halloween?
God loves you,
Debbie
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