Kim in SouthGa Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I would like to do this for my kids and would love some ideas. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We don't exactly "celebrate" it, but we do read about Martin Luther and discuss. We don't do Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We don't do either, but we have tradition to go to the mountains and get apples this time of year. I have got to say that the fact that we do not celebrate Halloween seems to cause more social discomfort between Christians than the fact we homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in SouthGa Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 I have got to say that the fact that we do not celebrate Halloween seems to cause more social discomfort between Christians than the fact we homeschool. oh, how true! and don't even get me started on the family and unbelieving friends! Since I am so late getting started with this, I have decided to keep it simple. In case anyone else is interested, here are the ideas I have so far (this will be for families, not just kids): Chili supper, with some sort of German salad and desserts, and of course stained-glass cookies using jolly ranchers. Prizes for those who show up wearing Reformation-era costume. Luther & Calvin Trivia game Lego castle building contest (maybe contest, maybe just for fun) I found several websites with games but just can't think of them right now. I'll continue to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters but instead of Happy Halloween, we'll say Happy Reformation Day or God Be With You! We'll end the night by all standing out on the lawn holding candles, singing A Mighty Fortress is Our God. What do you think? Does it sound totally cheesy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Caveat lector: I'm not protestant, but I do like doing up holidays :D. I'd look for an age-appropriate bio of Luther, use some of the theses as copywork (on parchment-looking paper if you have it) and then nail it (or sticky tack it, your choice) to your door. On another note, as a non-protestant, I wouldn't appreciate it if someone greeted my kids with "Happy Reformation Day" while they were trick or treating. IMHO, you should either keep the porchlight off or offer treats without comment. Think of how you'd feel if someone gave your kids a treat and wished them "Happy All Saints' Eve". No one wants to have to answer theological questions while trick or treating, it's just a bad scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 (edited) On the other hand, when you let your children go onto some one's property to knock on his door expecting him to give them candy, you are also giving him the opportunity to greet your children however he wants to do so. I have been told that some Pagans in our area greet with "Happy Samhain." Edited October 19, 2008 by Seeker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We recognise it, we don't "celebrate" it. It's sad that it took what it did for the Reformers to be heard. Issues within in the Church are never a JOYFUL thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 (edited) We don't do either, but we have tradition to go to the mountains and get apples this time of year. I have got to say that the fact that we do not celebrate Halloween seems to cause more social discomfort between Christians than the fact we homeschool. but could you expound on this. Having been raised Catholic, I don't remember any discussion of Halloween and the Reformation. It always connected to All Soul's Day and it was never a bad day. I have been reading lots of information on the Reformation since we are coming up to it in history and I apparently am not connecting things because I haven't noticed anything about the Reformation in connection to this particular day. I am no longer Catholic and I have only recently begun studying history. I have gone the way of "we don't do halloween" because of what our evangelical church teaches and it made sense, then. As I have been enjoying history on my own lately, I am trying to find out why the church teaches what it does in the way that it does and connect it to modern day thinking. Dh and I were just this morning discussing how to make dinner table talk out of this issue. Last year is the first year I allowed my kids to do "Trick or Treat". We moved into a neighborhood that gets hit hard with kids (I gave away over 400 pieces of candy last year.), and I started thinking differently about it. I started thinking that today's culture has changed the meaning of Halloween and that it is no longer Satanic or Pagan in it's meaning, regardless of it's history or that it is a high holy day in the occult. Kids just love to dress up and go out to get candy for the fun of it. But this year I decided to go deeper and explain the history and see what the kids would decide if they had an either or choice to make. Can you (anybody) ~ in civility ~ link me to or give me information on this? Edited October 19, 2008 by Robin Hood grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Robin, it's the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the doors of the church. Thus considered the "official kick-off" of the Reformation (even though there was A LOT more leading up before that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We integrate a study of a Reformation leader into our homeschool studies for the week, but we don't celebrate Reformation Day. I'd love to find a church or group of Christians who did, but sadly have not found that in our area. Halloween is HUGE here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We are doing it with our church small group for the second year. We are using the materials from Doorposts. Last year, we did Luther and this year we are doing Calvin. It's not the sort of thing I am usually into, but it is not bad - different activities to set up to learn about their life. They are pretty involved, but you could scale them back if it was just your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Robin, it's the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the doors of the church. Thus considered the "official kick-off" of the Reformation (even though there was A LOT more leading up before that). So it sounds like there is no connection, it just happens at the same time of year so it works as a convenient alternative? Or did Luther pick that day for a particular reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 So it sounds like there is no connection, it just happens at the same time of year so it works as a convenient alternative? Or did Luther pick that day for a particular reason? Just coincidence, I believe. It also was never meant to spark things off to the extent that it did. Nailing notices, commentaries, etc to the doors of the church was common practice. http://www.fopc.net/home/content/blogcategory/43/84/ The event in itself was not the bold act of defiance that we assume, for it was then common practice for professors to publicly post items for debate. In those days, university church doors were much like the bulletin boards or campus telephone poles of today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbi in Texas Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 In a history class in college, the instructor said Luther chose that day because he knew everyone would be coming to church on All Saint's Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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