How do you feel, as a parent, about Halloween? I know some people oppose the holiday for religious reasons, but many churches offer an alternative celebration on Halloween night.
For me, Halloween is a chance for my kids to dress up, to enjoy using their imaginations to “become” someone different for a few hours. It’s make-believe at its finest. This year my son is a Power Ranger (he’s 6) and my daughter is a cheerleader (she’s 2). It was the end of the “cute” costume phase with my son—something I admit saddens me. No longer will he wear a fluffy lion costume or want to be a cowboy with an attached horse. Nope. We’re into superheroes now and there’s no turning back. Power Rangers are cool. Apparently giraffes are not.
My daughter is still getting used to Halloween. She refused to stick her hand in the inside of the pumpkin during our carving escapade last night, and this morning, when she had the chance to wear her costume to her brother’s class party, she opted for her regular clothes instead.
Tonight we’ll go trick-or-treating in our complex then come home and pass out candy, should anyone decide to come-a-knockin’. And come tomorrow, I’ll be prying excess sugary treats out of their hands in the hopes I can wrestle an apple in there instead.
Halloween is still fun. It’s still innocent. It’s still…Halloween. But it’s different now. Now parents have to be careful where they let their children trick-or-treat. You can’t always trust your neighbors. Heck, nowadays, you don’t even know your neighbors half the time, especially if you live in a big city.
So for me, Halloween is a fun holiday and one I look forward to each year. I love snapping photos of my kids in their costumes. I love carving pumpkins with them and seeing their faces when we place the candle inside and turn out the lights. But I fear the changes in the world and the fact that Halloween just isn’t as “safe” as it used to be.
How do you feel about Halloween?
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