Sr. Michelle - 2nd grade teacher - celebrating that dreaded pagan holiday last year at St. Joseph's School .
I grit my teeth and smile politely when I see evangelical Christians balk at celebrating Halloween because it is a "pagan festival" that "honors the Devil," and instead have their wee Sarahs and Joshuas come - in costume - to "Harvest Fests", where said mucnhkins will bob for apples and ingest too much sugar, same as if they came to a Halloween party.
Halloween is a contraction of All Hallow's Eve, which means the Eve of All Saints Day, which is a Catholic holiday. Thus, I consider Halloween to be a Catholic-inspired holiday, which means I have absolutely no trouble with my kids' Catholic school having a Halloween parade on the 31st and my kids going door-to-door to trick-or-treat.
Oddly enough, those same Christian (read, non-Catholic) children who trotted off to their church's "Harvest Fest" the weekend before Halloween when the 31st falls on a weekday, come around to my door on the night of the 31st, bags open and ready to receive a piece of candy . . .
7 comments:
We haven't had trick-or-treaters in 20+ years since we moved to our present home, which is at the end of a spooky, tree-lined alley on the edge of Town. Not even the bravest kids will go down that alley at night! Having said that, I miss the 200-300 trick or treaters that we used to get at our old home. We live in a small town (pop. 5,000). Our old home was in an established neighborhood. People would come from miles around and dump their kids on our block. It cost a small fortune to keep supplied with candy & treats. And adults would come along, too, looking for grog. By the way, I think it has degenerated into a pagan (but fun) holiday.
Anonymous - on average, I get about 400 kids on Halloween night!
I like Halloween also!
Digi - FOUR HUNDRED KIDS???!!!
Holy cow.
I couldn't afford the candy.
I sometimes get a couple of kids from our small building, but that's it.
:(
I can't wait to have a house again.
Amen to that!
Signed,
Supremely Irritated at "Harvest Festivals" and the self-righteous people that go to them.
(Can you tell I live in the Bible belt?)
Ahhhhh! Sister M is scaring me! LOL.
Halloween is a great holiday--just cause all the devil worshipers want to take over, does not mean thet we can't enjoy the evening.
We get about 200 hundred kids per year, and yes, we see the vans pull into our neighborhood and drop off kids--but hey--it's all in fun--and 200 small candy bars give 200 kids a fun time--but I usually buy about 300 candy bars, and of course--of my favorite variety.
Tara,
Sister Michelle has been teaching for 50 years! She was the principal of St. Joseph School until about 15 years ago, when she gladly handed over the job because she missed being in the classroom. Ask any kid who graduates, "What was your favorite grade?" and I am willing to bet they all answer, "Second! That's when I had Sister Michelle!" When we parents are doing soemthing around the school, if she is in her classroom, it becomes the "hangout" for all of the kids.
digi:
I would have loved to have her for my teacher--or my kids' teacher--I'll bet she made learning fun! Thank you Jesus for teachers like her.
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