Tonight my family took a trip to Wal-mart to do something I never in a million years thought I would . . . we went to buy Halloween decorations to put up outside of our house. Bright glowing orange lights on the crepe myrtle tree, pumpkin lanterns to brighten the front doorway and a couple of cute signs in the natural areas. You have to understand the rather ambivalent feelings I've always had towards Halloween to know why this trip to Wal-mart was something I never saw coming. I mean, as we were hanging the lights tonight I was telling my kids about how when I was their age we went to Reformation Day parties at church and played "harvest games" instead of trick-or-treating (all my reformed friends know what I'm talking about, the rest of you will just have to ask me about it later). I went to a private Christian school where Halloween was not honored with decoration, celebration or costumes. So for me Halloween has always been the somewhat forbidden fruit of holidays.
But in recent years I've lightened up about Halloween. My kids have so much fun going to costume parties and trick-or-treating. And so when neighbors began breaking out the decorations and Jake went wild with excitement I knew it was time to really step up to the plate and come out of the Halloween loving closet. There is no hiding it anymore. The orange glow emanating from my house shouts it loud and proud. And Jake is thrilled.
DISCLAIMER: Before this gets too out of hand and I piss off everyone I want to say that the forbidden fruit element of this holiday was an influence of church/school and not my parental unit. They happily allowed us to trick-or-treat.
4 comments:
oh my word - you went to Reformation parties too?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? OMMMMMGGGGGG. Yes actually my church just started having Reformation Day festivals within the last 6 years or so - but growing up, we never had halloween parties, just "fall festivals" and when trick-or-treaters would come to our house, we would turn off all the lights and hide and not answer the door! seriously. i was NEVER allowed to go. omg i feel so normal now, knowing there were others out there...
have you seen that show 17 kids and counting? Regrettably I have and I have to say, watching them reminds me of like, every person I knew at Liberty. almost. except you. :) hahahaha - ok not everyone but a LOT of people. wowsers.
i'm proud of you for decorating!!! I have thought about getting lights but I think I can't do that while my dad is alive, or he might have a heart attack. officially. he already gets mad when I buy pumpkins. PUMPKINS! and i don't even carve them! (well, occasionally) I just tell him they are fall dad, don't worry about it.
Welcome to life in the GRACE lane! I'm very proud of you. I still don't like vampires and all that dumb stuff but what is wrong with pumpkins and costumes! Redeem it people!!!!!
Don't look for any reformation parties at OUR church!! :)
hee hee...you crazy halloween loving nutcase:) Yea, so I bought 5 pumpkins and we will probably carve every single one...not sure if Andrew likes the jack-o-lantern or the fact that we get to use a sharp object on a defenseless pumpkin. I have purchased the Halloween costumes, decorated and even made "bat" cookies from tollhouse...yummm. So, enjoy the candy and the trick-or-treating - we will!!!! It is nothing more, nothing less:) Just fun!
um...pictures please!
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