I LOVE Halloween (and All Saints too)

What do Christians do with a holiday when pagans refuse to stop celebrating it? Most of our Christians feast, including Christmas and Easter, are a result of that dilemma. Halloween is no different.

All this nonsense about Halloween being some sort of satanic cult celebration is just rubbish. There is nothing demonic about the origins of Halloween. The celebration originates from a Harvest Festival from Celtic Ireland around the 5^th century BC. This was before anyone ever heard of the devil. As is the case with most cultures who depend on a harvest, this feast was a time to mark the passing of summer into the long nights of winter. It was believed at the time that during these times of transition, the boundaries between our world and the world of the dead was weakened, allowing the spirits of the recently dead to cross over and make contact with the living. This is where we get the idea of ghosts and goblins for Halloween. Large bonfires would be built and grain and animals were sacrificed. There were never any human sacrifices.

When Rome invaded Ireland they thought this was a pretty cool festival and pretty soon in spread to the rest of Europe. It was so popular that as Christianity spread, the church found it impossible to get people to quit celebrating this pagan festival. So it did what it always did with popular pagan holidays. It co-opted and baptized it and gave it a Christian meaning. In the 8^th century the pope declared November 1 "All Saints Day". It was as if the church said, "If you are so all fired determined to remember the dead and dwell on death, remember all the saints who have died and gone to heaven"

Halloween has always been a big deal for our family. I would make elaborate and original costumes for my kids. (Which half the time would have to be covered up with heavy winter coats for trick or treating). I would carve pumpkins. My husband would take great care in decorating the porch to be just spooky enough to delight, but not terrify the younger children who came to trick or treat (and we always gave out the best candy). If you are going to boycott Halloween because of its pagan origins you may as well throw out Christmas and Easter as well.

Many culture s have feasts and celebrations that help us deal with the reality of death. And many of those feasts take place at harvest time. It is natural for people close to the land to think of death at harvest. One season of life and growth has ended. Harvest means the death of most food-bearing plants. Death in this sense means completed – they have served their purpose. And yet they yield seeds for a new harvest. Those who worship the Risen Christ and look forward to New Life after completing their purpose on this earth can certainly celebrate that. Halloween is as good a time as any to proclaim Christ's victory over evil.

My kids are away at college now. My daughter came home last week to get her flapper costume and will be trick or treating for UNICEF. My son will probably be playing World of War Craft. I have a pumpkin to carve and I have candy for the few who will venture out on this very cold fall night. This Lutheran Pastor says HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

PS - Yes some of this is a repeat from tomorrows sermon. So?

Friday Five -Fall

It's been several weeks since I've participated in a RevGalPal's Friday Five....but it's all about Fall...and good subject for me and I've been neglecting the blog so this is at least a good reason for me to get back to writing.

1. Share a Fall memory -- this season makes me think of my late husband. Particularly Halloween - he loved Halloween--he would fix up the front porch with
spider webs and always make a scarecrow. We really did Halloween. Every year I made my kids costumes and carved pumpkins He would give out the candy and I would take the kids trick or treating. He would take a piece of paper and mark down how many kids came to keep track. One warm fall night we had over 200 kids.

He stayed home with the kids and I worked. But come fall he would work in the potato harvest. He usually cooked suppers but during that time I'd cook --he'd come home 8 pm and I'd have something warm and good waiting for him. It made me feel all wifey and domestic.

2. Your favorite Fall clothes--(past or present)? I love the fall colors - browns, oranges, rusts. I have a bunch of sweaters and cardigans...so it's nice to get them out.

3. Share a campfire story, song, experience...etc. Hmm...not really connecting campfires with fall since I always camping in the summer. Around these parts we still burn the fall leaves. That was my husband's job and still remember when I decided to take on the task after he was gone. I was terrified I might burn down the neighborhood so I had the hose on and close by. Have since learned leaf burning is pretty manageable as long as the wind is not blowing.

4. What is your favorite thing about this time of year? I am ambivalent about fall. It fills me with a sense of dread since I know the winter is coming. I feel a little melancholy about fall because it reminds me of death. I cannot forget that the reason those leaves are so spectacular is that they are dying.

But there is some relief as well. The garden is done and there is nothing more I need do for it, but cover it with leaves and burn them to replenish it. It will rest during winter and next spring there will be a new chance for another garden. I always plant bulbs to remind myself that no matter how harsh the coming winter will be, there will always be a Spring. Without death, there is no resurrection.

5. What changes are you anticipating in your life, your church, family...whatever...as the season changes and winter approaches? Oh there will probably be some changes. I'm just not ready to talk about it.

Bonus Question - What food says autumn at your house? Chili of course! I used to always serve chili on Halloween. One time I even made it from all orange tomatoes I grew.
Here's my Recipe. (by the way I said in that post I hate beans --have learned to like black beans and red beans and rice - but I still would not put beans in my chili) Also I used to put my garlic in first and then would have to watch like crazy to keep in from burning - I've since learned if you put the garlic in AFTER the onions...it's not as likely to burn