Emulating a giving attitude for our children

Pumpkin spice lattes are on the market. In fact, pumpkin spice is all over the place. It’s in the cakes and cookies and you can smell it in every store you walk into. Not only do you smell the spice, but right next to the halloween candy are turkey decorations and Christmas trees.

Fall starts the Holiday mish-mash. It’s almost as much a mess as Tim Burton’s movie, “The Nightmare before Christmas.”

I wonder if anyone realizes the word holiday is the two words Holy Day. Whether it is Halloween (All Hallows Eve), Thanksgiving or Christmas, all these days are set aside to honor God and his grace upon us.

Yes, even Halloween is supposed to remind us of God. Boy, we have messed up.

Look, God is not against celebrations or holidays. In the book of Exodus, God set up celebration times for his people. By Jesus’ day, he was even celebrating Hanukkah (a Jewish holiday celebrated around our Christmas). Jesus himself shows us that parties are okay. (Remember the wedding at Cana).

But somewhere we have gotten away from the Holy in Holiday.

Some people get offended when we honor God in our celebrations. We focus on the day before All Saints Day, so we can fill our bags with candy and dress up as monsters and goblins. What is with that?

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for free candy, and have been known to raid my kids’ trick or treat bag for the odd Snickers bar (OK, all the Snicker’s bars). But where did we lose sight of the true holiday? When did we lose sight of God in any of our holidays?

Maybe it’s time to get things back into perspective. I wonder if there isn’t a better way to honor God in our holidays.

What if we changed the understanding of trick or treating, for instance? How about instead of encouraging kids to go to the doors and say, “Trick or Treat” and expect a prize, we encourage homeowners and others, to expect to give to all who come to their door?

What if we encouraged our children to collect the goodies and then share them with each other? What if we encouraged the children and adults to be more like the saints, and less like the goblins?

Hey, would a can drive on Halloween be an awesome thing? (I’m just spit balling here)

I know, I’m probably whistling in the wind. Many parents like to dress up their kids and take them out. It is fun being with the children and seeing all the cool costumes. I’m just saying, let’s change it from a “take” mentality to a “give” mentality. Imagine if we emulated a giving attitude to our children rather than a “What’s in it for me” attitude.

My grandmother emulated that “give” attitude. I remember she always had hot cocoa and hot cider for the kids who were out trick or treating. They would leave with a homemade popcorn ball and cookies. She showed what it meant to give. Maybe we should do the same.

Maybe it’s time to rethink our holidays. Just a thought.

See you in church.

Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.