One of my earliest memories of Halloween was probably around grade one or two. My school held a parade in the gym to showcase our costumes, and I vividly remember that I dressed up as a cat, just like I had every year. For that particular costume, I wore a white plastic garbage bag with holes cut out for my arms and face, a homemade tail, and makeup on my face to detail a nose and whiskers. Halloween costumes for kids were much simpler in the 1970s and ‘80s, and I wish I had a picture of mine to show to my own children now! 

For my family and I, Halloween has always been about dressing up, having fun and enjoying lots of candy!  I asked one of my girls what they loved about Halloween when they were younger, and she told me: “Dressing up as someone I wasn’t and, of course, the candy!” I couldn’t agree more. For as long as I can remember, my kids have always dressed in a wide array of costumes imitating their favourite colours, super heroes, animals, cartoon characters, princesses and Barbie dolls.  They were a canvas for creative make-believe, and it was a joy to watch them bring their imaginations to life alongside their siblings, cousins and friends. 

The thought of Halloween can be alarming for some because of the scary costumes and dark decorations. My own kids would sometimes see things that unsettled them during their candy-collecting tour, but those things were never the focus, and we tried not to let them deter us. Instead, we decided to enjoy getting creative with costumes and having fun walking around the community, meeting new people and connecting with friends. Halloween can be a beautiful opportunity to get to know your neighbours, especially in this day and age when spontaneous face-to-face interactions can be few and far between. It’s amazing how kids and costumes can be a bridge to meaningful connections with others, and Halloween can be a great opportunity to build community. 

One of the most memorable adventures in our old neighbourhood was the annual pumpkin carving contest, where everyone had an opportunity to dress up and have fun, even the adults! A friend of mine would often be the one to host, and she always made it extra special for everyone, turning her cul-de-sac into a carved-pumpkin art gallery where everyone could wander around and mingle while the kids ran around until the anticipated revealing of the winner. 

We moved to the country many years ago, so we don’t have access to sidewalks in the same way we used to. Instead of limiting us, it’s made us become even more intentional about building community at this time of year because now we go and visit our friends in their neighbourhoods to partake in all the Halloween activities we enjoy.

Ultimately it’s up to each family to decide what works best for them. Not everyone wants to participate in dressing up and going door-to-door for candy, and that’s ok! There are many ways to enjoy gathering with your family or community. Perhaps you can host a pumpkin carving party with lots of food and treats, and your home can be a place of memory-making for your children and neighbours, or you can even use this time to connect with grandparents in your own family. Over the years, my parents or inlaws would join us for Halloween and care for a baby or toddler while we walked with the older kids. It was a really fun way to create memories, eat dinner together and enjoy watching the interactions with grandparents and grandchildren as they sorted their candy into well-organized piles and yes, the kids would even share their candy! The beauty of Halloween is that you can make it meaningful to you and your family in a way that fits with your comfort levels and traditions, but it’s hard to encourage connections when we turn off our porch light and shut our door. 

Whether you love Halloween, dislike it or feel indifferent either way, consider that this time of year is another opportunity to connect with others. Let the focus be on relationships with friends and neighbours, not just candy, costumes and spooky decorations, and see what unfolds as you open your front door! 

 

 

There is a place we are all welcome – the family of God! Enjoy this beautiful song by Jonathon Traylor, The Table. 

If you remember today, pray for the Traylor family as his lovely wife is having open heart surgery. They posted a raw and honest post about their need for prayer! This is a community in action; you don’t have to know them to pray! Please do it on their behalf.

I would also like to share a fantastic book with you; The Gospel Comes With A House Key by Rosaria Butterfield:

PRACTICING RADICALLY ORDINARY HOSPITALITY
IN OUR POST-CHRISTIAN WORLD