Halloween on a Sunday, AACCCKKKKK!!!!!

[MikeWaters]

It recently came to my attention that Halloween this year falls on a Sunday.

Over the years I have really had a number of highly varied opinions on Halloween.

I enjoyed it as a kid. I don't ever remember my parents taking me. From a very early age, I went by myself, or with my brothers, or friends. Of course, this was also in the days that a kindergartener might walk 2 miles to school by himself (which I did).

On my mission, in a number of debates with some Jehovah's Witnesses, they discussed Halloween and its pagan roots and how it isn't Godly, etc. Ok, I thought, maybe it isn't so splendidly Christian, maybe we ought not be celebrating it at church. Just a thought (btw, I really don't like the JW religion, though I met many nice people, so don't consider this any kind of endorsement of their beliefs).

Getting a little older, I considered it an annoyance. Blasted kids ringing my doorbell. Get away.

But now that I have kids, I've been forced to confront my beliefs and attitudes once again. And I have realized something. Halloween is the only community holiday we have in this country. It's the only one! What other holiday brings out neighbors, and kids, and parents and sets everyone into motion so that we meet and talk and laugh? What other holiday gets that kind of participation. I have come to believe that it is actually important to the fabric of our communities and that you support your community by participating in Halloween.

Onto Sunday participation...some might argue yes, some might argue no. I argue yes. Here's why: 1) the primary product of Halloween is community kinship and bonding. That's a worthy thing. 2) LDS celebrate other holidays when they fall on Sundays. Do we forgo Christmas when it falls on a Sunday? But it celebrate's Christ's birth, you say. Please. Opening presents around a Christmas tree with stockings filled by Santa Claus is celebrating Christ? It's not like we restrict those pagan-ish traditional festivities just because its Sunday.

So what I have proposed to my wife, is that we curtail a more extensive trick-or-treating operation with the kids, but instead take them to at least the houses on our street. Make the rounds, talk with the neighbors.

There you have it.

[Zulu451]

I actually agree with you here. Halloween is one the only community holidays that we have in our society. Isolation is never the answer. Many of the families in our ward have declared that their houses will have their "lights off" on the 31st.

We have many, fond memories of neighborhood parades, getting to know our neighbors and block parties. As do my in laws. Interestingly enough, growing up out west in Las Vegas, this was never the case.

We will be having a "tri ward" trunk-or-treat on Saturday. Let's see what the celebrities will be giving out. We will be having a party for the kids on friday and we will likely let the kids just go to some of the local houses with their friends. Then they have a lot of fun handing out the candy. I am making sure to get home from a medical conference in time for the fun.

I really missed Halloween last year while I was in Afghanistan.

[MikeWaters]

You sound drunk.

[Zulu451]

Flight of ideas and word salad....

[RedHeadGal]

I've heard a fair amount of discussion on this topic in my ward. I see both sides of this (sort of), although I am inclined to agree with you. Mormons can be really strange in their interpretation of appropriate Sabbath activities. IMO we treat Sunday afternoon/evening as an extremely common time to socialize and party amongst ourselves in small, informal groups, dinner parties, etc. But heaven forbid those gatherings extend to the neighborhood. Trick-or-treating is a community observance. It requires the community to be possible. It does not require much work or financial transactions, etc.

It makes me laugh a little hearing about wards going out of their way to provide these trunk-or-treats on Saturday. What's the point of that? Particulartly when kids are often going to turn around and go in their own neighborhoods. It seems to me that if a ward wanted to be serious about helping its children avoid the temptation of going trick-or-treating on Sunday, they would host something on Sunday evening. A fireside or something. Not merely move the holiday.

And why didn't I hear a similar outcry this past July when Independence Day fell on Sunday? People just went to their private BBQs and community fireworks shows just the same. . . at least where I live.

[Archaea]

No ideas about Halloween as my little ones have outgrown it. OTOH, as long as one attends church, what else I do is my own business.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

It recently came to my attention that Halloween this year falls on a Sunday.

Over the years I have really had a number of highly varied opinions on Halloween.

I enjoyed it as a kid. I don't ever remember my parents taking me. From a very early age, I went by myself, or with my brothers, or friends. Of course, this was also in the days that a kindergartener might walk 2 miles to school by himself (which I did).

On my mission, in a number of debates with some Jehovah's Witnesses, they discussed Halloween and its pagan roots and how it isn't Godly, etc. Ok, I thought, maybe it isn't so splendidly Christian, maybe we ought not be celebrating it at church. Just a thought (btw, I really don't like the JW religion, though I met many nice people, so don't consider this any kind of endorsement of their beliefs).

Getting a little older, I considered it an annoyance. Blasted kids ringing my doorbell. Get away.

But now that I have kids, I've been forced to confront my beliefs and attitudes once again. And I have realized something. Halloween is the only community holiday we have in this country. It's the only one! What other holiday brings out neighbors, and kids, and parents and sets everyone into motion so that we meet and talk and laugh? What other holiday gets that kind of participation. I have come to believe that it is actually important to the fabric of our communities and that you support your community by participating in Halloween.

Onto Sunday participation...some might argue yes, some might argue no. I argue yes. Here's why: 1) the primary product of Halloween is community kinship and bonding. That's a worthy thing. 2) LDS celebrate other holidays when they fall on Sundays. Do we forgo Christmas when it falls on a Sunday? But it celebrate's Christ's birth, you say. Please. Opening presents around a Christmas tree with stockings filled by Santa Claus is celebrating Christ? It's not like we restrict those pagan-ish traditional festivities just because its Sunday.

So what I have proposed to my wife, is that we curtail a more extensive trick-or-treating operation with the kids, but instead take them to at least the houses on our street. Make the rounds, talk with the neighbors.

There you have it.

lol Waters you're the best.

[SeattleUte]

A segment on NPR said today that the origins of Halloween are the public's past loathing of disabled and unattractive people. This may be some NPR drivel. I don't know. There was no source cited, except the commentator, himself a quadraplegic, said that the root of "creepy" is "crippled". Anyway, it's another perspective on Halloween. Its darker side, as it were.

[MikeWaters]

Halloween was not mentioned in church on Sunday. It's probably one of those "don't ask, don't tell" things.

I know at least one family was sending out their kids trick or treating. Because I hometeach them. However they weren't at church for some reason, family is kind of part-active.

I did get to introduce myself to a couple of neighbors on our street, so that was cool.

[Archaea]

My children no longer go, but I helped my son hand out more than 700 pieces of candy, yes one per customer.