Growing up my parents chose to focus on the harvest and gathering parts of the fall season. While we still went, trick or treating we stayed away from the ghosts, witches, and goblin costumes. My mom chose to decorate with pumpkins, leaves, and even a jack-o-lantern. While Halloween wasn’t completely banned at our house our parents did a good job of letting us have fun but also keeping boundaries. We understood why we didn’t glorify the spiritual, or spooky elements of the holiday as we got older. Honestly, we never felt as if we missed anything. Our church even threw a harvest festival complete with candy, games, and costumes within reason.

I have many memories of running to house to house with my friends, and comparing candy. It is still possible to celebrate the season without sacrificing your belief systems.

Tips for throwing a Harvest Party or navigating the Halloween season when you are faith based:

- Pick a family theme for costumes that everyone is excited about. This helps foster family togetherness, while helping keep costume shopping a bit more limited. Make sure you know your boundaries so therefore your kids will also. Costumes that reflect the demonic, or pagan part of the holiday may be deemed off limits. If age appropriate I would suggest having an open conversation with your kids regarding this.

- Encouraging your children to dress up as people they look up to or admire. Whether it is in history, or even a family member!

- If you have older children, challenge them to DIY a costume!

- Not focusing on the “horror” of Halloween. Rather focus on how it is a time to show kindness to your neighbor (trick or treating).

- Another way to bring some positivity to Halloween is having your kids make thank you cards. Have them color or write kind notes to hand to their neighbors while trick or treating. Or even have them leave them in their mailbox (supervised). This will help foster the spirit of kindness and gratefulness. Much better than toilet papering a house!

- Set up different fall themed carnival games with a different candy at each station as a prize. That way if you are choosing not to go door to door, there is still that trick or treat feel.

Games/Activities:

o Glow in the dark pumpkin ring toss

o Bobbing for donuts! Bobbing for apples may be a little too communal for a party. But hanging donuts from the ceiling and seeing who can gobble theirs up the fastest? What kid would say no to that?

o Fall leaves photo booth. Get long garlands of fake leaves from a craft store, hang them lengthwise. Decorate with some pumpkins and have mini polaroid camera on hand for families to take photos.

o Grab some small pumpkins from the nearby store or farm along with some hay bales and make your own pumpkin patch. Invite guests to pick their own and supply paint to decorate.

o Different relay races are a big hit! Try an old favorite, potato sack race! Place an apple or pumpkin on top of your head and see who can make it across the finish line without dropping it. Use a broom to sweep a medium size pumpkin across the finish line.

- Make your own harvest bags (for treats and prizes). Get little burlap bags and have the supplies for kids to make scarecrow faces on the front.

Food & Treats

- Have treats that double as crafts such as make your own caramel apple bar. Have the different toppings in muffin tins with spoons. Or have the apples sliced and encourage them to make their own apple nachos!

o Apple Cider and hot chocolate are a given, but try something a little more fun if you are into it. Grab peach juice, seven up, some green sherbet and make some slime punch!

o Walking tacos are one of my favorites! Make a big batch of chili or taco meat in the crockpot. Then set out snack size Frito, Doritos, or tortilla chip bags. Guests can throw the chili or meat in the snack bag and top with sour cream, hot sauce, or guacamole. This can also work if you make hotdogs, guests can turn their regular hot dogs into chili dogs

o Apple cider braised bratwurst is always a hit at our fall party! Also my recipe for Apple Cider Chicken Sandwiches are a great option!

o Spicy Pumpkin Jalapeno dip goes well with both veggies and chips. Or my recipe for Pumpkin Tahini Dip!

o Offer pretzel cart style pretzels with different dipping sauces