Stinker on Halloween

I'm a stinker on halloween. No, I'm not at the church for our big Kids party, no I'm not walking kids street to street as they collect their goodies, no I'm not at some great Halloween party with friends, no I'm not handing out treats to cutsie kids in costume. I'm home, alone, with the blinds closed and most of the lights out so kids won't have their hopes dashed on my doorstep--when there is no candy. Just a crankbox in her pj's laying on the couch.

So what happened you ask? I got sick. I haven't been feeling well for days, but it got me in my sleep last night. So in angony, I've been lying on the couch today, dozzing off and on. I do think I'm going to bother to have a long Halloween bath in a minute. But it's a pitiful picture. And I can't even be festive and hand out candy.

You see we don't bother decorating here at the house, or buying candy to hand out to the kids because we're both usually involved in the big Kids Party we have at the church every Halloween. This is a great time for the kids where they all arrived dressed up for tons of games and candy, cake walks, a bouncing house, a Walk of Faith where people are dressed up telling Bible Stories and giving out more candy. There is always a cotton candy machine and a popcorn machine....it's a blast for the kids and we all get involved.

So this year, as I'm not feeling well enough to go into the church, nor am I probably well enough to get up to the door and hand out candy every time the doorbell rings. I sit, well lay actually, in darkness. This allows for a bit of contemplation on Halloween itself. Wikipedia says:
Halloween is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other treats. It is celebrated in parts of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and with increasing popularity in Australia, New Zealand, as well as the Philippines. In recent years, Halloween is also celebrated in parts of Western Europe, such as Belgium and France.

Halloween originated as a Pagan festival (those who worship something other than the Christian God)among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain with Irish, Scots, Welsh and other immigrants transporting versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.
The term Halloween, shortened from All-hallow-evening, as it is the evening before "All Hallows' Day"[1] (also known as "All Saints' Day"). A festival of celebration of all the Saints and martyrs in the Christian tradition.

Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent.

So all of that to say, we've got an issue. Or, I do, as a Christian. Do I make a big deal of the fact that Halloween originated as a night of worship to other god's, not the One and true God of the Bible? Do I make a big deal that "some" present day practicing witches (Wicca etc.) still utilize Halloween as a festival of evil spirits, a night when they have greater access to evil spirits?

Or do I realize that in America, largely at least, this has turned into a popculture evening of fun for kids where they get to imagine and dress up and eat tons of candy, where they get to "spook" themselves out with silly stories, and movies, and Disney's randition of The Headless Horseman (to the horror of true Satanists and witches who find Halloween a mockery of their true beliefs)?

Do I join with Popes Gregory 3rd and 4th who attempted to turn the pagan festival into a religious holiday celebrating the DEAD Saints and martyrs (do you want me to start in on that one!) and then was really disappointed when it didn't work out for them? Do I call it evil, and ban it all. Or do I be a more liberal Christian, allow SOME of the celebration originated by witches and Satanists (or simply people without God) believing it in essence is not a Satanist revival in North America? Or do I simply take it as it is and have fun with it like the rest of the population with little knowledge of historical origins, or what the word PAGAN really means?

Traditionally? I have loved it all, having fun with the rest of the general ignorant population. My cutsie little sister being a witch with a pointed hat and orange hair made of crinkly yarn every year (and yes she is a beautiful, well adjusted, loving mother now), my other sister deciding last minute to be a ghost (last time I checked she wasn't praying to evil spirits either), me becoming Smurfette, or Punky Brewster (now that's probably the bigger fear). Collecting tons of treats, piling them up on the livingroom floor and sorting them according to how good the treat was. Then getting more excited to watch our Dad and his friend dress up and go play tricks on family friends. Saving discussions of Satanism and witches, and evil spirits for another time when the world I live in isn't making a mockery of Halloween for me.

In the Future? I suppose we'll see.