Hallowe'en

My feelings on Hallowe'en have been changing and it's quite hard for me to try and vocalise them but I'm going to try here.

I have never liked Hallowe'en. I don't like scary movies and I've never been fascinated by the macabre. When I became a Christian, it seemed I had even clearer reasons to dislike it. It was described as a celebration of evil and focusing on the power of Satan. This combined with a friendship with someone who as a child had suffered extreme satanic abuse at the hands of her parents and others who was aware of the significance that Hallowe'en plays in the satanic calendar, meant that I had enough ammuniton to totally reject anything to do with the day.

This was hard on my children in part because they see the hype growing around them as the years increase. My view is that card and novelty producers are deliberately hyping up the day in order to sell card, sweets and masks. Just look at the U.S. to see how lucrative the market is and I didn't want to be part of that cash generating system. I also believe that "Trick or Treat" is wrong. Sending children around the area (safety concerns anyone?), knocking on people's doors (known or unknown) and letting them demand sweets with threats is twisted. For every other day of the year, parents instill in their offspring that they mustn't accept sweets from strangers and yet marching up to someone's house and demanding goodies is fine on this night because it's all a bit of fun. Let's just think of the people it isn't fun for: how about mums with young babies who don't want their door bell waking up the little one? How about people have mental illnesses or the elderly? How about those who are single or those like my friend who are terrified because they know the sinister side of Hallowe'en? I would be mortified to approach or allow my children to approach the homes of these people which is a refuge and a safe haven in order to request sweets.

And if you're on the receiving end of trick or treaters, what do you do? Have something sweet there just to give them and make them go away quickly? Have little pamphlets oulining the spiritual dangers of Hallowe'en to give away? Open the door and tell them why they are wrong and they should just all leave people alone and go away? Or just shut yourself in and ignore the doorbell?

Poppy has a friend at school who's birthday is around this time and she always has a Hallowe'en party. This was the first year that I let her go. In my more relaxed state of mind I believe it right firstly that she makes her own informed decisions but I also believe in Christians being fun people, not dirty horrible kill joys! I'm unsure whether this was the right decision to make but I think so as I try to work out some new boundaries here.

There is a side of us that likes the macabre and to test our limits of fear. Why else would there be horror films, rollercoaster rides and bungee jumping? None of them particularly appeal to me and hence the macabre side of Hallowe'en holds no joy or excitement for me. I'm thinking now that exploring this side of our natures is quite healthy but delving into the seemy side or allowing this to get a foothold that takes over in our lives is dangerous. I don't know if once the flood gates are open it's very difficult to stem the tide but it may be that by stepping over the boundary from time to time we can see where to mark and guard the boundary in the future.

And as for pumpkins? They are just vegetables! And mankind have been using them as lanterns for thousands of years. I like the imagery of letting the light flood through, the way the Light of the World lights up our lives and if He lives inside us we shine.

Have a very Good All Saints Day!