All Hallows Eve

We do all Saints day at the Church and we do give out candy.

 

No harvest fest. No use for it.

Yes, my little one and I plunder the town while drinking Starbucks hot chocolate.

Wouldn't a harvest fest be a type of participation in the "world's celebration of a satanic holiday"? *slowly nod your head..........*

 

Harvest Festival at our church - although it tends to be earlier in October. We don't participate in Satanic things like Hallowe'en; rather we do a mixture of celebrating All Saints' Day on the 1st November and the Reformation the day before - if I do do any dressing-up on the 31st, therefore, it will either be as Martin Luther nailing pieces of paper to my neighbours' doors or as Johann Tetzel floggin indulgences to the neighbours.

 

I remember in my childhood we used to do things like "bobbing for apples" (that is, using our mouths only, trying to eat an apple that was hanging on a string or floating in water - see http://www.wordconstructions.com/articles/family/bobapple.html). This was at home. As far as church was concerned, I was not a Christian then, though I was taken/sent to the local parish church (Church of England), which was called "All Saints", so they had what Anglicans call their "patronal festival" on the Sunday nearest to 1st November.

In more recent years in the UK, the idea of "trick or treat" has become more widespread. I personally am against the whole idea. I know some people view it as "harmless fun", but the very name seems to be saying, "You give us a treat or we will play a trick on you!" Sadly, in the UK, the whole idea of "trick or treat" seems to have become an excuse for some teenagers to go around frightening elderly people. You can get an idea of the sort of thing I mean at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3750690.stm which includes the following:

Supermarket giant Asda has banned teenagers from buying eggs, traditionally used as "trick or treat" missiles, in the run-up to Halloween.

The store says it has warned staff to be extra vigilant in spotting youths buying eggs.
It says the decision was taken following reports of egg-related vandalism last Halloween. Other big name supermarkets have not implemented a ban, although Sainsbury's says it has a "common sense policy".



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Police forces issue posters to shopkeepers, saying that in the run-up to Halloween, they will not sell eggs or flour to people under 16, such as the one at:
http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_News/Flour_poster_07.pdf

31st October seems rather late for celebrating harvest - most farmers seem to have finished using their combine harvesters before the end of September.

 

It amazes me that peple just substitute "Fall Festival" or "Trunk or Treat" for Halloween and celebrate it anyway. I am sure that there are Satanists out there celebrating it, but for every Wiccan there are 10,000 kids walking up and down the street having fun, getting filled with sugar and rotting their teeth innocently.

We call it a Halloween Party and have fun with it. We set standards for the costumes in terms of witchcraft and sexually explicit costumes. On those Sunday's I use the message to talk about who Satan is and how much greater our heavenly Father is.

 

Are not "Fall Festivals" something Benny Hin might do? :laugh:

 

Yes it is that time of year again, time for another edition of bash holidays Baptist Board style....

 

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

I certainly wasn't "bashing holidays" - 31st October in the UK is a normal working day. :tear: Do I understand from what you wrote that Americans have a day off work on that day?

 

David Lamb, my reference to bashing holidays was not directed at you, but rather the OP. Every year we go around and around about this...

No, people do not get a day off of work for Halloween, sorry for the confusion.

 

It is I who should apologise, PastorSBC1303. I made the unwarranted assumtion that you were replying to my message. Sorry.

 

We celebrate "alla helgons dag", I guess it translates "all saints day" with an extra satruday service in church. We light candles for the dead during this year and remeber them. We also light candled is the grave yards.

Halloween is a quite alien thing in Sweden but is celebrated by many children, they dress up in funny costumes and eat candy.

But for christians, it is a holiday when you remember the dead, wear a little bit more sober clothes and sing more old fashioned hymns.

 

I treat it like any other day.

 

I love it!!!

We have a fall festival on the Saturday before, but it is not connected to Halloween in anyway. We have old fashioned food, and just have fun...hayride, games, etc...

Then normally my boys trick or treat... but not this yr, since it falls on a Wednesday evening...we will be in church...

So, I get to buy Candy!!! Yipppeee!

 

I go to the back bedroom and keep the lights off up front.

 

We have a free harvest fest - see below.


What is Harvest Fest?
Harevest Fest is a FREE night of games, rides, food, face painting and more. This event is designed to be a kid-friendly and safe alternative to Halloween. Kids will enjoy playing silly games, bouncehouses, carnival-styled rides, fun food, candy and more. Everyone may dress as their favorite "hero" (no scary costumes, please).
Its Free!
This event is totally free however we do ask that all attendees bring one of the following food item to donate to the OCPC Turkey Drive: bottle of syrup, box of pancake mix, box of stuffing, can of cranberry sauce, can of green beans, corn or peas or canned spam.
Bible Heroes
This year's Harvest Fest theme is "Heroes from the Bible". Some of the games and scenery will look like Bible times. This is to remind us that some people from the Bible were adventurous, cool, and did great things for God!

 

We have a "Trunk-R-Treat" at our church. We have 18 cars inside our ministry center with the trunks open and decorated and full of candy.

We also have booths for the kids to play free games and win prizes. Our members are dressed as Biblical characters and we pass out tracts.

Last year was our first year and we had over 400 kids and adults come from outside the church. It is a great outreach tool for the community and as FOS said, it is a safe alternative to Halloween.

I was always taught not to take something 'bad' away from a child without replacing it with something 'good'...

 

:wavey: Fron the second grade I did not go to school on haloween. Oct 31, 1864, was the day Nevada became the 37th State admitted to the Union. My fparents andiI ived in Vegas.

 

You got something against us Northerners??? :tear: