I love Halloween...always have always will. Pumpkins, candy, fall weather... It was always so much fun! We dressed up and more importantly our parents dressed up. For one night you can pretend that you are someone else like Punky Brewster or a fairy. We went trick-or-treating and counted our candy when we returned home.

In Caleb's family upbringing (very conservative)...Halloween was the celebration of a pagan festival and no fun was allowed on this night. Well, that's not entirely true...but you get what I'm talking about.

Needless to say we have had long discussions on what we could and could not do or be on Halloween, what our children could or could not dress up like, and if we would trick-or-treat or go to a "Fall Festival" (not there's anything wrong with that). Caleb says that our kids cannot dress up like anything that denies the deity of Christ...doesn't really narrow it down, but it's a good policy. In the fantasy world...how does this apply? This is an ongoing conversation...just wait until we tackle Santa Claus.

So...I am caught between the stereotype that a good Christian would never partake in such a cultural tradition and the part of me who wants to have fun, for imagination to come alive, and to get to know others in my community knowing that it is all in good fun...and to be honest, the latter is winning.

It goes back to the whole Harry Potter phenomenon. If I am grounded in my faith can I not read a fictional book about a boy wizard? Strange. By the way, I do have all intentions of reading the entire series and hopefully one day, reading them with my kids.

Anyway...thoughts? Is Halloween happy?