Why We Celebrate Halloween

I strive to keep my posts on opinions relating to social, political & sometimes religious issues at a minimum- if at all-because well, this is a light-hearted blog based on my passion for God*s people, decorating my home, supporting my family & funny things.My intentions are good. My tongue is not always. In case this ruffles feathers, I apologize in advance.

Folks in blog-land have been posting their annual posts about why they don*t celebrate Halloween & how they will hand out bible tracts instead of candy. Instead, inspired by my friend Karen, I*m choosing to post describing why we celebrate Halloween by letting you in on the Finley family thought process behind the coming holiday. So grab a bucket if you need it.

I will not be making my house a haunted home. My child will not be a ghost, witch, or devil. Though as a child, I'm positive I was some kind of scary monster-if not in real life- & my sister was a witch & neither of us has been zapped up by the evil one yet. We will not attempt magic.
We will however, put pumpkins out on the porch, illuminate them with a black candle, leave our natural cob webs hanging & welcome the neighbors.

(I decided against the ghost-cheese cloth-craft I featured in a previous post)

This is the one night of the year the neighbors will be coming to knock at our door. We will take our little stinker dressed as a kitten, door to door for as long as she*ll last. It*s also the one night of the year the neighbors will for sure be welcoming us to their door. We will use this night to enjoy community with the friends we know & make a point to get to know the ones we don*t so we can see them again soon after.

We will eat candy. Lots of it.

We won*t be handing out Bible tracts. We will be handing out hot cocoa & candy.Now I know that someone who is reading this has a sister, who has a cousin, who*s roommate once went on a mission trip during Spring Break & handed a Bible tract to some scantily dressed, alcohol ingesting teen on the beach (probably me) who dedicated her life to Christ right then & there. That*s awesome! But I*m also thinking someone*s Grandma is 90 years old & has cooked with lard everyday of her life & hasn*t gained a pound. That doesn*t mean I*m going to start using Crisco & expect the same.

So, as my secular neighbors swing by the house with their tots in tow ready for ooo*s & ahh*s & candy, I*m not going to greet them with a non-celebratory child & a Bible tract. I think that just puts a big *ole boring, party killing, restrictive feel to a loving, forgiving, graceful Heavenly Father. Instead we*ll try our best to meet them where they are, relate to them, find a way to connect, & of course oooo & ahh at their kiddos while dropping candy in their pails.

We won*t do it perfectly because we definitely aren*t perfect.

But this is Halloween people.The Funny, Friendly, Finley Family is celebrating because the opportunity for new friendships with our neighbors is worth a celebration!

I*ll try to only be on a soap box once a year. Promise.