Many people don’t celebrate Halloween because of their religious beliefs. While that should certainly be respected, how about using the holiday as a way of ministering instead of avoiding it all in all?

Here’s an example of how one Christian woman, we’ll call her Ann, combines her faith with trick or treating every year. 

Starting the day after Halloween every year, Ann begins preparing for the next year’s trick or treat guests. You see Ann believes that Halloween is a way of opening her door to the children who may, down the line, want to know more about Christianity. She starts preparing goodie bags well in advance and plans well.

Each child who comes to her door receives plenty of candy, but that’s not all. She also includes things in the bag of goodies such as:

• Faith based coloring books
• Stickers
• Games
• Pencils & Erasers
• Notepads
• Anything with a message from the Bible

Each child also gets something age appropriate explaining Jesus. Things like Cd’s with Bible stories, Veggie Tales videos, and other things are bought throughout the year at dollar stores, Bible book stores, etc. so as to spread the cost out throughout the year.

Why does Ann do this? Her prayer is that when any of those children is ready to learn more about Christ they will remember her as the one who knows Him and can help them do just that.

Ann also decorates her home for the holiday with pumpkins. You won’t find traditional witches and ghouls carved in the sides of her jack-o-lanterns. Instead, crosses, angels and the words of Jesus are the carvings of choice.

For those who might be thinking Ann probably doesn’t get a lot of visitors to her home each year think again. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Each year between 80 and 100 kids ring her doorbell. The past few years have seen a decrease in the number of visitors she gets due to her neighborhood parents doing Trunk or Treat activities.

Trunk or Treat is where parents gather at the school and give candy to the children from the trunks of their car versus going door to door on Halloween night. For folks like Ann, it can be a little sad, but she realizes the positive of having been able to do what she does for over 10 years in her community.

Do you have suggestions or tips for Halloween activities for families of any and all religions? Please share them!

It seems that each year the summer school holiday gets shorter and shorter, doesn’t it? What Santa Claus has noticed over many, many years is that once children are back in school the autumn and winter holidays start approaching very quickly.  The Labor Day holiday is just around the corner and after that it is time to turn your thoughts, imagination, and nimble fingers to creating wonderful Halloween costumes and decorations. Did you know that traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer?

To get you in the mood for the upcoming Autumn holidays we are posting some of our very favorite Halloween cartoons and shorts over the next few days.

Enjoy!

Bewitched Halloween Special, 1967

It is another eventful Halloween on Morning Glory Circle. Despite Darrin’s concern, Samantha reads Tabitha an everyday mortal Halloween bedtime story. Unfortunately, Tabitha materializes three spooks out of the pages of her book.

On Halloween, the magical pranksters follow Tabitha and Samantha out for an evening of trick or treat, with mostly tricks. After Samantha finally realizes what Tabitha has done, she pops all the spooks back to home. The problem is, Gladys’s nephew, Tommy, has traded places with one of them. They end up turning Tommy into a goat, and Tabitha eventually returns the ghouls to their rightful place.

Bewitched – The Safe and Sane Halloween, Part 1 of 3

Bewitched – The Safe and Sane Halloween, Part 2 of 3

Bewitched – The Safe and Sane Halloween, Part 3 of 3

Halloween and Any Time Costume Resources