Do you celebrate Halloween?

[Nite0wl71]

I have always celebrated Halloween. It is also my oldest DS's birthday. I decorate everywhere and always took the kids trick-or-treating.

My MIL hates the holiday and won't let us talk about it or even show her pictures of our DD in her costumes. It doesn't matter what she is wearing either. She is 12 now but this was her at 2 1/2 and 3 1/2.

 

[Briarmom]

I love love love Halloween.

The village is up. The Pumpkin Pie candle is burning. My son is drawing pumpkins. It is a big deal for us.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Wow! You seem very passionate about this topic. What is your religion if I may ask?

Wiccan/Pagan

 

[Planogirl]

I always compare Halloween to Christmas in one way.

Christmas is of course a religious holiday that is also celebrated by many in a secular manner. Halloween is much the same. Most of the ghosts and goblins and so on is just fun for people but there is also the religious holiday and it's certainly not evil!

As for the evil items, I believe that in most cases "bad" items only become so if a person believes that they are evil. There are exceptions of course but what in the world could ever be evil about a costume or a jack o'lantern?

 

['Canes Fan]

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, MNSSHP at WDW, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens. xmas and thanks giving are overrated. halloween is our family's favorite time of year.

 

[Meezers]

I used to LOVE giving out the treats at Mom's house...after I got too old (and wasn't allowed) to go trick or treating any more.

Starting several years ago...however....trucks and vans started dropping off HUGE loads of kids in her neighborhood. Many of them don't wear costumes and don't speak English....it felt like "candy by intimidation"...we are talking about juveniles 17 and up.....large and mean looking. My opinion only....but no one over the age of 12 needs to be trick or treating. Plus...if you didn't give out "good" candy or what these animals thought was their "rightful amount"...you know the next morning there would be some type of damage to your home or vehicle!

We don't hand out treats anymore...but have been known to light the Samhein fires!

 

[Gwene65]

Blah Blah Blah, geesh.


Anyway, I like celebrating Halloween b/c I get to dress up in cool costumes. No, seriously, I don't have a problem with my kids dressing up and trick-or-treating.


BTW-Tasha-Your little girl is BEAUTIFUL!

 

['Canes Fan]

for the 16 year olds trick or treating...go to Taco Bell and nab a bunch of hot sauce packets. that's what we drop into their bags.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

Thanks, Gwene! I know you don't have your dd's pic in your siggie anymore but I remember she was beautiful too from the picture you posted once!

 

[nwdisgal]

Halloween is a big event where we live. It is almost more important than Christmas where I live. Alot of people decorate their houses. I've always let my kids trick or treat. What can I say - I'm just a heathen. When I was a kid, we used to trick-or-treat, then play poker or "21" and bet our candy.

 

[Pagan Moon]

I was born on Halloween..so Heck Yea I celebrate..

ETA: I will be 25 this year so everyone is invited to my House !!


Oh yea, and try living in Salem, MA and having a Birthday on Halloween

 

[PixieDust32]

Yes we do!

 

[T1130]

We celebrate here too. Just started decorating yesterday. Nothing scary. My dd (4) is going to be JoJo this year.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

My folks are pretty strong believers, but had no problem with us trick or treating or Halloween decorations to a point. Jackolanterns, ghosts & movie monsters were ok, but witch themed decorations were a no-go.

Sometimes we'd do the church carnivals instead of trick or treating (sometimes sparked by rumors of razor blades & candy). I got to dress up & play games & still got candy, so I don't feel that I missed out. A lot of times this was more fun because it meant more to do with less walking.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

As far as teenagers on Halloween the choices are pretty limited:
-Trick or treating (which usually gets you some dirty looks)

-Watching scary movies (which these days means gory r-rated slasher flicks)

-Pranks like TPing (or as the police calls it "vandalism")

-Parties (which usually have things other than candy & no supervision)


If I were a parent of a teenager, I'd much prefer them to trick or treat than the latter options.

 

[2Poodles]

We celebrate Halloween. This weekend I'm decorating my porch with witches, skeletons, bats, rats, scary cats, devil with a pitch fork, a huge "scream" guy, a coffin with a skeleton in it (DH made the coffin out of sheetmetal), gravestones and a witches brew fogger. Each year I buy one big Halloween item to add to the porch. It's a fun holiday and I love to see the little kids dressed in their Halloween costumes.

Mary & the 2Poodles
(Sebastian & Winslow)

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

If Halloween is evil then I better inform my neighbor who is a catholic priest. He hands out some of the best candy in the neighborhood!

Haven't you seen The Amityville Horror? Evil isn't scared of the Priest
Seriously though, some folks will find bad in anything. My DD9 and I have always pulled out the scary movies as part of our ushering in Fall. Halloween is a part of that. It's fun! When DD was little she'd say, "ooohhhh, scary moonie!". The last several years I have noticed that our Pastor cancelled church on a Sunday night if Halloween fell on it. He's say that some folks wanted to spend the evenings with their kids truth was, his youndest DD got married and had a DD close to my DD's age. And Pastors DD decided to take hers Trick-or-treating

 

[Stitchfans]

Sure we celebrate it. As a matter of fact our town has a window painting contest were kids paint the windows down town. Then we also have a parade with a best costume judging at the end of it. They have several catagories. The local theatre has a free show for the kids.

When I was small after the parade and costume judging we had a big bon fire.

Some people are so judgemental over the smallest and silliest things, they really need to lighten up.

 

[ZachnElli]

Yes, we celebrate it. My b-day is 2 days after Halloween and growing up I never got tired of the Halloween themed birthday parties! This is only our 2nd year living here and the Trunk or Treat thing that Binny mentioned is popular here. But we had a really big showing of trick or treaters at our house last year, so not everyone does the Trunk or Treat (maybe they do both? ). We will continue the door to door trick or treating here.

 

[cardaway]

I celebrate a secular Christmas with my friends and family. I love the spirit of giving and peace on earth that comes at that time of year. I guess I just don't get why a particularly devout Christian could not celebrate a secular Halloween.

Excellent point.