CNS photo/Sam Lucero, The Compass

SMYRNA—One of the most festive times of the year is October, the month that we celebrate Halloween. Houses are covered in cobwebs, spiders and witches. Candy and treats can be found at home, in stores and at the office. Carved pumpkins are situated on porches and decks throughout the month.

I enjoyed Halloween as a child. Because we didn’t live in a child-friendly neighborhood most of the time, I would go trick or treating in malls and later attend our parish’s Safe Halloween Party. Those parties include music, games and costume contests.

Halloween starts to become a different experience when you’re a teenager and into adulthood. As you get older, you find ways to make Halloween fun again because it can’t look as it did before. Some find joy in decorating their homes and yards. Others have parties.

This year, I checked off participating in Trunk or Treat from my bucket list. I first heard of this while working at Corpus Christi Church in Stone Mountain, but was unable to attend. This year, I wanted intentionally to try something different, and Trunk or Treat was the perfect choice.

Samantha Smith, staff writer for The Georgia Bulletin, poses with her decorated trunk for the Trunk or Treat event at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna.

Since my home parish doesn’t host this kind of gathering, I was able to participate at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Smyrna. As a Disney lover, the theme for my trunk was “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

My outfit was easy, mostly because I love the movie. From Disney ears all the way down to the shoes, I was covered head to toe, literally, in the film. The car decorations included theme music, Jack Skellington lights, mini pumpkins, black tablecloths and of course, candy.

It was so fun to decorate my car and really get into the festive spirit of the season. All of us who decorated our cars enjoyed passing out candy, greeting families and fellowshipping with one another. 

One thing I really enjoyed about Trunk or Treat was that it was a guaranteed experience. Growing up in neighborhoods without many children, you never know how many kids will come out and what homes are receiving trick or treaters. With trunk or treat, you get a full experience knowing that everyone there wants to participate in the Halloween festivities.

While some aspects of Halloween can be dark and gruesome, it can also be safe, festive and fun. There are many family-friendly activities, such as carving pumpkins and making crafts. While there are many scary Halloween films, there are also many family ones as well, such as the “Muppets Haunted Mansion,” which came out this year.

Halloween can be a time for families and friends to gather for fun activities and shared experiences. It’s a festive time before we honor our saints, pray for our deceased loved ones, share gratitude at Thanksgiving and prepare for the coming of Jesus.

Tags: halloween

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