Friday, October 29, 2010
Happy All Hallows Eve and My Blog's Been Featured!
This weekend our family will be squeezing in a birthday party, pancake breakfast at a local restaurant for a fund raiser, my husband and I will be speaking to 15 engaged couples about Natural Family Planning, 3 soccer games, a soccer party, a neighborhood Halloween party, Mass, getting baked ziti downtown for our homeschool's feed the homeless service project and making preparations for costumes, candy, and our annual All Saint's Day party on Monday with our homeschool group! Oh and somewhere I have to fit in planning lessons! Whew! There seems to be not enough hours in the day to fit it all in so blogging over this weekend is going to be especially difficult.
My children are very excited to celebrate Halloween and All Saint's Day on Nov. 1. I know many families choose not to go out Trick-or-Treating or "celebrate" Halloween, rather they think it's best for their families to focus entirely on All Saint's Day or celebrate Fall Festivals.
I found some great articles on the internet that address what Halloween is really about. One such article is Halloween: The Real Story! and another one is How Halloween Can Be Redeemed .
I especially agree with the two opening paragraphs in "How Halloween Can Be Redeemed" :
"Halloween has grown into a major secular holiday in American culture. But for those who don’t value devotion to the saints, the Eve has become "hollow" instead of "hallow." The purpose behind it has been lost—like celebrating New Year’s Eve without a New Year’s Day. Take away the saints and our beliefs about the dignity and destiny of human beings, and the only thing left is pre-Christian superstition regarding the dead.
Among many Christians, there has been concern that things have gotten out of hand. After all, doesn’t Halloween glorify evil? Is it right to send our children out as devils and vampires, or is it better to emphasize the saints, whose nearly forgotten feast day is the reason for Halloween? Hallow is the same word for "holy" that we find in the Lord’s Prayer, and e’en is a contraction of "evening." The word Halloween itself is a shortened form of "All Hallows Eve," the day before All Saints Day. In this Update we’ll consider how Catholics can "redeem" Halloween. This holiday, properly understood and celebrated with all of its fun trappings, can be a way for us to deepen our understanding of our faith. The key to this understanding is close at hand for Catholics in our love of the communion of saints."
My family enjoys all the festivities surrounding this holiday and focuses on All Saint's Day. My children love to dress up and candy so Halloween is an exciting time for them. They also enjoy learning about the lives of the saints and dressing up as their favorite saints. This year our children will be St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Luke, St. Cecilia, and Mother Teresa ( I think). You may or may not agree with how we celebrate All Hallows Eve and All Saint's Day, but this is a special time for our family and for our faith. I hope that the links I have shared on this post will be insightful and useful.
I am also excited to share with you that Heather at Mommy Only Has Two Hands has featured me and my blog today on her Feature Friday post. I was chosen based on the comments that I have left on her blog and through Random.org. Because I have been featured, Heather has given me this cute button to put on my blog which I have placed on my right sidebar just under my blog button code:
Be sure to visit Heather at Mommy Only Has Two Hands and leave her comments on her great posts. You may be selected for one of her Feature Friday posts also. She has a beautiful blog, her son is adorable, and I love her Fall banner at the top of her blog! Thanks Heather!
I am also excited to share with you that Heather at Mommy Only Has Two Hands has featured me and my blog today on her Feature Friday post. I was chosen based on the comments that I have left on her blog and through Random.org. Because I have been featured, Heather has given me this cute button to put on my blog which I have placed on my right sidebar just under my blog button code:
Be sure to visit Heather at Mommy Only Has Two Hands and leave her comments on her great posts. You may be selected for one of her Feature Friday posts also. She has a beautiful blog, her son is adorable, and I love her Fall banner at the top of her blog! Thanks Heather!
1 click on "Fence" button below = 1 vote for
"A Slice of Smith Life"
THANK YOU!
You can vote for my blog here too!
Thanks!
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Hello! Thank you for your Visit!
I'm Tracy. I love my faith, family and on most days, homeschooling my 5 blessings. When I'm not busy baking cakes for my family or making memories in real life or dreaming I had a housekeeper or professional chef, I enjoy documenting a slice of Smith life in blog land.
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15 comments:
You will have a busy weekend! Enjoy :) We too trick or treat and celebrate All Saints, plus now we have a birthday that falls on Halloween! Have a great weekend.
What a crazy weekend you have instore for yourself!
We pretty much have the same mind thought on Halloween. I have helped the children steer clear of the "dark side" when it comes to costumes. This year, we are using our Christmas pageant costumes for Halloween. Ha! Two birds with one stone :)
Have fun this weekend.
Hi Jen!
It's hard to remember when we didn't have busy weekends! You have much to celebrate with All Saints Day and a birthday! Have fun!
Hi Patty!
That sounds like a great idea to use your Christmas costumes for Halloween! I need to get my kids to use their All Saints costumes for Halloween which would make this weekend a little easier!
Have a great weekend!
That is going to be a very busy weekend hope you get some down time to recuperate. I won't let (and the kids don't want too) dress in evil or scary costumes for halloween. I don't see the need for that kind of stuff. I just bought a saints book in England that I think is very good. When I get back I will try to send you the title. I voted for you:)
AnnA-Marie
I'm sure we will hear about all of your events and we'll get to see your kids all dressed up when you blog about it!!
I voted for you on the picket fence! :)
Heather From and Mommy Only Has Two Hands! and Lynhea Designs
I love the history on Halloween. Thanks for sharing it. My family and I are also Catholic! I tried to become a follower through Google, but It wasn't working. I will try again. I just love your cakes, you are so talented! I am learning about blogging also, I am new and not sure what I am doing:) I am looking forward to following your blog. Sara
www.8aplenty.blogspot.com
Busy, busy, busy! Try to have some fun this weekend while you're at it. lol I voted for you, and am looking forward to a fun November.
Congratulations on being featured at Mommy Only Has 2 Hands. She wrote a great post about you and your blog, Tracy. I hope you are having a wonderful day. I clicked votes for you.
Hi I just found you (you're on Ctholic Toolbox's sidebar). What a lovely blog you have. I'm sure to be back to read more. Nice to meet you.
Hi Anna-Marie!
I hope you and your children had a wonderful Halloween night with fun and candy! Our kids got too much candy and we will be donating lots of it to teachers at a local school nearby! My weekend was busy and now I am preparing to celebrate All Saint' Day tomorrow with our children! Thanks for the votes and I've been clicking votes for you too!
Hi Heather!
Thanks for your visit, comment and vote! I hope you had a wonderful Halloween! My kids had fun!
Have a blessed week!
Hi Sara!
Thanks for your visit and comment and I hope the Google Connect works for you so you can follow my blog :) I hopped on your blog and left a comment! You have a beautiful family! Thanks for stopping by and nice to "meet" you!
Thanks Lynda!
We had a busy and fun weekend! Thanks for your blog visits always and your continued support and votes! I've been clicking votes for you too! :)
Thank you Gardenia for your visit and comment!
I will be visiting your blog soon and I'm glad you were able to find my blog through Catholic Toolbox's link :)