Yes, I realize I already have typed something that's not even a real word...but you aren't reading for literary enjoyment so allow me to throw some slang into my thoughts.... because of course that is how my brain thinks most of the time.
Ahhhh... Halloween... we all survived again, didn't we? I was blown away to hear that Halloween is America's second highest retail generating holiday after Christmas. I don't really know what I would have guessed in its place... I know we parents aren't exactly running around at Thanksgiving time, scrambling for outdoor Pilgrim decorations but I suppose I was just surprised that its grown into such a revenue monster. (Because personally, what I just LOVE about the holiday is the irony of spending $30 on candy that I give out in 2-3 bit parcels to kids and then it just comes back to me in the form of assortment when my kids dump out their containers. Then, we feel a certain sense of responsibility to not let our kids eat all of that so we toss it, take it to the dentist, eat it between now and Christmas and then wonder why we gained Holiday weight, etc.
Soooooo logical... and fiscally responsible...uh, NOT!
Let us not forget about the countless hours of searching for a Halloween costume because let's face it, kids change their mind on what they want to be at least 4 times before the big night. They get to wear it for 45 minutes at school and another 2 hours on Halloween. You end up with a pile of synthetic material and plastic accessories that you hope will add hours of dress-up entertainment for your children but quickly realize you are delusional in thinking you will get that much use out of the costume. Worse yet, you assume that each of your children will want to be what their older sibling was last year. You stomp your foot and say, "not next year... we won't sign up for the same goat rodeo!"
....but then.... just like childbirth... time marches on and you forget the insanity of it all until October 1st of next year....and you do it all again.....
Hmmm... I sense a bit of sarcasm in my tone here...but it really is so silly!!!! My kids were all so bummed out because it wasn't Halloween today. "Why?" I asked. I think their only audible answer was because they like collecting the candy. The funny thing is, they won't even finish it all before it goes stale because I will police its intake for the next 2 months and I've scared the crap out of them with stories about kids who throw up from eating too much candy and the chocolate that comes up and out through the nose. The pure allure of that much sugar massed together truly loses its sexiness in about 2 months from now. I actually like how it just butts right up next to the Holiday season because its almost like by January...they are ASKING for carrot sticks!
This was not even my topic for this post. (Shocking, I am sure.) I know you parents have some really good ideas for recycling costumes. I am sure if I had my act together and had set an alarm on my phone for September 1st I would have spent 7 hours researching costume swaps in the area. There are even parents who have children who don't like candy so there is no problem giving it all away... or your kids actually go out and collect food items instead of candy to give to the food banks. I am so thankful for all of you bucking the trend!
Here's what else happens on Halloween that bucks the system...and I LOVE it.
Community.
Right or wrong about whatever the holiday was originally created for...irregardless of how you celebrate it... we come together. In unity. Without judgement.
Proof? Check out Facebook. It is single-handedly one of the biggest nights that we post pictures of either our pumpkins or our own lil' pumpkins. And talk about the "likes" we get...its almost as if you can't scroll through FB without "liking" everyones picture of their kids in costume without being the biggest jerk in the world!
Here's what else I love...the unity of the children. Oh sure, there is the usual pecking-order process of "trick or treating groups. No matter what plans are made on the bus ride home.. kids are pretty unscathed because even the best laid plans get thrown out the window and everyone ends up moving from house to house in one big flock. The goal here, people, is candy... and lots of it. Unity. In the name of low-quality sugar. Unity.
And I'll take it. Last night was a night in which it didn't matter what school you went to, what age you were or what you were dressed up like. You all got a piece of candy. (Well, except those who came to my door dressed as WSU Cougs... I had dictionaries for them.) KIDDING!
My favorite example of this was in my youngest. I just assumed he was going to be a Fireman because that was the costume I still had from the other kids. October 25th rolls around and he announces he is going to be a ghost. That was about 14 hours before I was catching a flight for the weekend so my best shot was I was to grab the kid a sheet, cut some holes and call it a day.
Here's the best part of having a 3-year old....they are like dogs. I pulled out the fireman costume one last time on Halloween afternoon to try and persuade him (because of course I still didn't have a sheet) and while he said no to the fireman (sorry public servants... I DO thank you for your hard work) he did spy a white pair of pants with black spots on them in the drawer. He ran over, pulled it out and exclaimed, "OOOH...I want to be a cow!" Praise God for not having enough time to junk out the costume bin. Bright-shiny-object (black and white costume) combined with a little 3 year old brain that doesn't remember being a cow LAST year and voila... costume debacle over!
When he was ready to come in for the night after a hefty return on trick-or-treating, he hung out on the porch with me to show me his stash of kiddy crack... I mean...candy. By this point there were large groups of older kids out or on their way to different houses for parties. The first group of 15 or so passed by our house without coming up for candy. I looked back and there was Evan, standing eagerly next to the bowl of candy waiting to pass it out to the kids. Of course, to avoid heartbreak, like every good mom, I shouted out to the group of teenagers and risked the HUGE probability I would look like an idiot to say,
"HEY! DON'T FORGET TO STOP AND SEE THE COW!"
Oh yes... yes I did. But you know what? That group of High Schoolers stopped...looked...and turned around to come say "Hi" to my little cow. Most of them didn't take any candy, but came and either shook my son's hand or gave him a High-5. He was in Heaven...checking out all of the costumes and showing everyone his "swishy tail."
There was no judging..there was no one standing back at the sidewalk, refusing to get in on the "hamming it up with a 3 year old." No one was too cool for that... no one did the "I don't feel like participating. No one pulled the "I don't associate with cows" or wanted to avoid being seen High-fivin' a cow they had never met before. (Of course I expected his babysitters to stop by and give a hug or lavish praise on him... after all, they know where their bread is buttered...but these were complete strangers on their way to a party down the street.)
No judgement. No cliques. Just love.
I'd like to think that is how Jesus would be if he were around to celebrate Halloween. Oh sure, the Pharisees would be having a conniption fit with October 31st... I can just see the bulging veins and imagine the blood pressure. No doubt the Romans would have put a kibosh on the entire holiday...but... just imagine what Jesus would have done. Dressed up like the rest of them.... laughed at all the costumes....even the dark & ghoulish ones! He would have passed out King Size candy bars for sure (and he probably would have only needed to buy 5 of them and yet he would have had enough for the whole hood.) *** Footnote... you'll need to read the book of Mark, Chapter 6, lines 30-44 if that doesn't make any sense.
Point? I would love it if every day we stopped to High-5 the cow who's looking for a smile. Yeah, I know we are all really busy heading to a party and wanting everyone to notice what WE are wearing...but I think there are a lot of cows out there for us to bless...and who's smile will bless US.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. -Romans 12:10
I guarantee every high-schooler that made his way up to the front of the crowd to interact with my little cow was blessed by it.
Translate that for the population reading this, the over 55" crowd (that's inches not age people!) who can tie our own shoes... look the bank teller in the eye and really ask how he or she is doing. Listen for the answer. Give a dollar to the man who is humble enough to hold a sign up on the street corner. Suspend the judgment of how he happened to find a magic marker and perfect piece of cardboard and consider instead what point he must be at to risk recognizing those he might know while he holds that sign. High 5 your toll-booth operator. Shake it up on the way to your big fancy party and make someone else's day. We don't need costumes to do that.... because as different as our costumes made us seem to one another...they actually brought us together for a night.
Any "feel good" stories from the night? Did you use Halloween to make a difference? Would love to hear your thoughts!
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