How many of us are at home on October 31st, Halloween night? There are several reasons not to be home. Where does your household fall?
Don’t Believe in Halloween
Let’s start with the biggest reason I think many people aren’t at home for Halloween. Not being “at home” could also mean sitting in the dark and not opening the door because you don’t celebrate Halloween or don’t want to be bothered. Many Christians eschew Halloween as a holiday for evil and don’t want to do anything to promote it.
I recently read some interesting articles on CBN.com (Christian Broadcast Network). Some are against this idea of hiding at home or church. They say that it may do more to promote Jesus when you greet visitors to your door with a treat and perhaps a tract. Another point was that Christians shouldn’t fear Satan and hide, but teach children that Jesus has overcome the sins of the world. Where ever your thoughts lay, the debate is interesting. You can read the range articles on this topic here: CBN.Com Halloween.
One family I know carved the words “Jesus Saves” into their pumpkin last year.
Out Trick Or Treating
If you have young children who want to trick or treat, it is hard to stay home. Sometimes one parent will take the children out while the other stays and hands out the candy. But choosing who does what can cause some conflicts, and many times the whole family goes out, leaving the home dark and empty. Here are some solutions if you want to give out treats while you are away.
Leave a bowl of candy. Of course you do run the risk of having the first kids steal the entire bowl of goodies, but at least you are making an effort.
Leave a note. Ask your trick or treaters to go next door to your neighbors, who are willing to hand out your treats as well as their own.
Drop off goodies to the kids in your neighborhood the night before. This is a good way to get to know your neighbors. One of our neighbors leaves goodies in our mailbox for the kids.
Neighborhood Doesn’t Trick or Treat
This seems to be the case in our neighborhood. Perhaps it is the combination of houses far apart and long driveways (each home is on a minimum of two acres here), but most kids drive over to a nearby development where there are a lot more doors and a lot less walking. If this is the case for you, you can employ one of the ideas above to give out goodies if you are so inclined.
Will you be home on Halloween?
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog and caring for little ones in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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