We don’t celebrate halloween, not having grown up with it as family tradition here in Australia. I do however notice that more and more families in our community are now choosing to recognise the holiday. In years gone by I have said ‘Sorry, no treats here’ to the few children who knock on our door trick-or-treating but this year I read these words just days before halloween;
“The front porch is a welcoming space, a space of meeting, greeting, leaving, and transitions. Front porches draw the inhabitants of the house outside, bring neighbors into conversation with one another, ease social isolation, and provide a public space of respite, shelter and shade.”
~ Making a Family Home, Shannon Honeybloom
, Shannon HoneybloomI have been thinking a lot about home, family, friends and community. I have much to be thankful for when it comes to our home, our little family and supportive friendships, especially during our recent heartache; friendships both new and old, support from often unexpected places and in many different forms, this sense of community has made all the difference on days where the raw emotions are that little bit closer to the surface, even now after many weeks have passed.
With so much to be thankful for and the words of Shannon Honeybloom in my mind, this year we have a little bowl of goodies for those trick-or-treaters who knock at our door. After all, I believe families who make the time and effort to spend this time with their children should be celebrated. Maybe this is one way that I can give just a little back to my community. And who wouldn’t want their front porch to be a place filled with the excited, happy conversation of children anyway?
Do you celebrate Halloween? For my overseas readers, I would love to hear about your holiday celebrations. For my Australian readers, did you recognise the holiday this year?
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Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.
People do not all go to church, or claim to be Christian, but they celebrate Easter and Christmas.
It is a community spirited event where we live. Families going together to neighbouring homes, chatting with each other, making connections with other people in the area.
I love being part of it.
We don't get trick or treaters to our door because we live on a dirt side road! But I am ready just incase.
Our porch is always open for children to come and ask for sponsorship, donations or to simply play with my children. I'd prefer to keep that the focus. And they do come through the day - which is lovely.
I tend to agree with Michelle too that many children don't have a clue why they are dressing up, it's all about the lollies!
We have talked about the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations, which she was a bit concerned over but I thought it might interest her since we have looked at Mexican art, music and iconography before.
Our front porch used to be a wonderful place when friends and family used to frequently visit but few people come there now and we don't have what you would call the friendliest of neighbours these days and no young children in the street at all.
I wish we once again had a sense of community but maybe we are just too old now.
We don't do Halloween, because my eldest child is only four and is very sensitive to all things spooky. She's too little to dress up as a ghost or ghoul - I even find myself censoring fairy tales!
Today we will go get the candy we have put off buying (so we didn't eat it!) while we are out doing our other errands. Then get ready for tonight. My crime fighter will be so happy to be in his costume so we will snap a few pictures then off to some neighbors who will be happy to see him (and give him candy)! Then we will come home and give out candy while chatting up all the kids and parents who will be out roaming the neighborhood. Last year little boy had a great time talking to everyone.
Folks spend a lot of money on decorations, too. One house in town has at least 100 signs/inflatables in their yard. It's a bit much in my opinion. I really dislike some of the morbid and scary scenes people put up in their yard, scaring my littles as we drive to the grocery.
We do dress-up (cute, not scary) and carve a pumpkin. We visit people we know well (3-4 friends and the grandparents) and that's it. We haven't made the kids "miss out," but we haven't let become a big holiday either.
Still, I am less excited about it each year. I say this as I am preparing to get the kids dressed up (two cheerleaders and two football players) to go visit the grandparents who would be crushed if we didn't at least do this much.
I wish it was just a day to dress silly and we could avoid the candy and the scary stuff.
My hubby and I decided to go with the innocent approach since my kids are both under the age of 4. They now believe it is a day that everyone in America can pretend to be someone they are not, but that some people choose to think of scary things and decorate that way, too. They also think they are being 'treated' because they dressed up, and not all people do, so trick or treaters are special.
We did go out 'to let our neighbors see what we like and pretend to be', the kids were dressed as dinosaurs, but only went to our neighbors, maybe 4 houses. Unfortunately, it is one of the only times we see others in our neighborhood as families going from house to house.
If we still lived in our favorite place, we would have just gone to our old church's Trunk or Treat. Every car is pulled into a parking space, the trunks are opened and decorated, and the cars' owners hand out candy. Inside the church they had food, cider, a gospel presentation, information about the church and someone to talk with. Very innocent, and much safer than some areas of town to be out in after dark.