Halloween on Sunday (LDS)

Halloween i s a totally childrens holiday. Let them trick or treat. We are only children for such a small amount of time, let hem have fun. You stay home and hand out candy.. I love treating the kids and seeing all of the clever costumes..

I say let the kids go trick ot treating. It is a fun relief from all the stress they get at school and in life. Life is too short not to enjoy being a kid.

It sounds more like you just dont want to do it rather than for religious reasons. I have never even heard of trunk or treating until recently. Regardless I have no desire to go T or ting but my kids do so we shall Sunday or not. Its not about me its about them.

Seeing how the 2 parents disagree, I say go with the parent's choice that isn't a)depriving or b) harming the children....which would be your hubby!

Not saying that your choice is harming the kids...but it is depriving them of a basic childhood fun time, that most kids get to partake in...

Sorry to say this, but trunk o treating is kinda lame compared to regular trick o treating...when it's dark and you get to run up and down the
neighborhood streets collecting as much candy as you can, with your
siblings or friends...as opposed to walking in a small circle in the parking
lot getting candy from a car, c'mon now?! Don't you remember how much
fun Halloween was when you were younger?

Your statement about not being "anonymous" suggest to me you are more worried about what others will think of you and that maybe they will see your kids out and say something about you guys not being "good little Mormons"? If that's the case...you shouldn't worry about what others think of you...you as the parents should be the end all and be all of parenting decisions regarding your family!

I don't really understand all the discussion over what to do with Halloween this year just because it's on a Sunday. What do people do when it is Monday through Thursday? It is still a school night. I think it's kind of expected that when Halloween is on a school night, you make an exception with bedtime and candy rules etc. because they are kids and should be able to celebrate and have fun on this day. Most teachers pretty much expect it as well.

Halloween is on Sunday this year, wont be again for 7 years. Suck it up and indulge, it isnt gonna go away if you dont decide to give out candy. 7 years from now your kids will be grown up and you wont have to participate at all probably. Think about it that way and it will help you get through it this year. I think you are out numbered since hubby and kids want to play.... you gotta lose this one Mommy.

I say let them go trick or treating.. To me, it doesn't matter what day it falls on.. Whether it's a Sunday, Tuesday or Saturday.. The day it is, we went trick or treating...
Halloween is for children and I would take them trick or treating.. If your not going to be home and if you trust your neighborhood, leave candy outside your door. That's what we do when we walk around with our son and are not home. :0)

I don't understand why you wouldn't want to hand out candy! That is one of the great parts of Halloween. If your neighborhood is big on Halloween and treat or treating, then it absolutely is rude not to hand out candy.

you have a lot of advice already and i'm not going to read it all. i just wanted to tell you that i agree with you. are you certain that your town is holding Beggars' Night on Sunday? check into that because that may change everything for you. what our family does in Provo is go to the Saturday Trunk or Treat, walk or drive to the homes of some family or LDS friends, and then go home and turn our light on in case anyone comes. on Sunday we turn the light off but still have some candy available in case some of our non-LDS neighbors stop by. they have different beliefs about the sabbath day and i don't want to turn away their children just because of what their parents do or don't believe. your kids will be fine if they don't go through the whole neighborhood on Sunday. good luck!

Writing as a non-LDS, here's my take on it: Since you and your husband both have a desire to keep Sunday special, and since you're a team, you need to do something that works for BOTH of you. That's what teamwork is about - not to mention having consideration for one another.

Can you quickly brainstorm together about this and come up with ten ideas? Write down all ideas, no matter how crazy they are. Surely in the list there will be one or two solutions you both like.

I'm surrounded by LDS and find it interesting what is okay on Sabbath for some and not for others. I'm not LDS, but for me, Sundays are a time for family. If I see something as a time to spend together, I'm fine with it. I don't embrace the darker side of Halloween, but the dress up, be silly, and have fun. If the LDS around us decide to turn off their light, and not participate, I have no problem with that, but I don't like the thought that some want EVERYONE to have to give out candy on Saturday too (I know that this isn't what you are suggesting, just my soapbox issue right now :) ). I think that people should decide to participate, or not rather than changing it for everyone else.

Anyway, my question would be more towards why the kids have costumes and are expecting to go, if you didn't want them to go from the start? I think that you and your husband need to decide what you want to do together. If he takes the kids, and you stay home and NOT give out candy; if you all go out for a certain amount of time; or if no one goes out and you turn the light off. It sounds like they are pretty young, and I think that the sooner you can prepare them for what their Sunday will include, the easier it will be on everyone.

I totally understand your problem and have a bit of setback when things happen on Sunday in our home as well. Here is what my husband and I came to agreement on (now keep in mind we are not LDS but we have similar concepts on honoring the Sabbath).

First, our biggest rule is NO WORK on the Sabbath. This is a day of reflection, worship, and family togetherness.

With that we do not prohibit fun, friends, and overall enjoyment. In other words, we do not go shopping but we will go to the park as a family, or enjoy special moments together, like a picnic, or have friends over to enjoy the day with us. God blessed us with this beautiful family and our day of worship is also about fellowship and growing together.

As far as the kids playing, we do allow them to play and enjoy as well. Not for the whole day but in the afternoon for a couple hours. We do not allow them to go to other people's houses as they may not honor the Sabbath the same as we do.

For Halloween, we take this day as just a fun thing for kids to do, just as we would going to the park. It is a family affair, we do not do creepy or goulish costumes and we will trick-or-treat - as a family.

Although this works for us. I do not think you should necessarily compromise what you think is right but you do need to find a happy place that works for both you and your husband. Maybe you don't hand out candy but as a family have the pumpkin shaped pizza and trick or treat your block for 15 minutes to a half hour then come home and do some sort of fun craft or something. In other words, you can have fun as a family as well as honoring and respecting the day.

The big thing you do not want to do is keep tension around what you do. Your kids will pick up on it and not have the fond memories you do or worse yet, grow up to see the Sabbath as a bummer day which is against the whole point.

Good luck, hope this helps.

well I didn't read the other responses but I am LDS so I understand what your are saying however I personally don't see anything wrong with trick or treating on Sunday. I grew up with my parents saying "it's a family activity" and because we aren't spending any money and just walking up and down our street saying hi to people and getting candy it's not a big deal. So I have to side with your hubby. I feel it's a family outing so whats the problem? Just like when Christmas falls on a Sunday we still go to families houses eat their food visit and have even caroled in the past which is still walking up and down the street visiting people and a few people have offered us cookies after singing so in my mind that's kinda like the same thing. I mean really your not hurting your kids by not letting them go out on Sunday but for me being an active LDS member I don't really see the harm in it.

Trunk or treat is LAME! Ok being LDS I understand where you are coming from, but also being in love with Halloween I would soooo Trick-or-Treat. I think that is would be unfair to your kids to see all the other kids trick or treating around the neighborhood and they didn't get to go out because it so happens to be a Sunday. It also (I think) teaches more of the whole Sunday Mormon thing. You should always have God in your heart, so why must Sunday be the strict day? Could you on Saturday choose to be your Worship day at home, then Sunday be go to church then go trick or treating?? I totally agree with In my 30's already. You really shouldn't be scared about what others think of you. It's your and your familys lives and you get to do what you want with them. I'm not sure how Idaho and Utah differs, but If your neighborhood was as stuck up and "Strict and devout LDS" as mine is, then you have nothing to fear because half of them are drinking, swearing, and having affairs. Halloween will be the last of your worries.
I think "The Big Guy" will be fine with you trick or treating as long as you remember to always keep him in your hearts and what not. I've always found it silly to change a holiday just because it was on Sunday, and whenever there is one it isn't the same holiday because it's a day early or late. LAME!

Here's my belief..for all holidays, you need to celebrate it on the actual day. Otherwise, what's the point? Celebrating a holiday on any other day, doesn't make it that holiday. I mean i can make a Thanksgiving dinner in July, but does it feel like Thanksgiving....no.
For Halloween trunk or treats the day before are great and all, but why even celebrate Halloween when it's not the actual holiday, when other kids will be out and about trick or treating and having fun?
Just my personal opinion. Whatever you do, have fun.

Talk to your minister or whomever it is in charge of your church and see what they have to say about it. Maybe you can look at it like the Jewish religion-once sun is down on Sabbath it is over. It IS the religion where the Sabbath idea was first put out after all-in the ten commandments.

I am an active LDS member. And I can see both sides of the argument. That is one of the things I love about our faith is that we are taught principles and then asked to govern ourselves. There are so many issues that are grey (drinking Coke, paying tithing on net vs. gross income, etc.) and appropriate Sabbath activity is definitely one of them. There really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to do it. Sometimes we fall into the trap of feeling that the most strict interpretation is always the most righteous - and seeming like the most righteous is important to a lot of people in our culture. It is something we all fall into at least some of the time. This is one of those situations that can be overly influenced by our fear of how we are perceived by other LDS members...you'll be out where they can see you (gasp) :0)

I don't know that you are falling into that trap, but I do think that it's something to think about. I can respect someone who says that they don't feel comfortable with T or T as a Sabbath activity. I can also respect someone who says that they see it as visiting neighbors and is therefore okay - it can be seen as an opportunity to strengthen ties with non-LDS neighbors. My only advice would be for you & your husband to make it a matter of sincere prayer, recognizing any fears or preconceived notions you may have going into it and ask to be guided by the Spirit. One or both of you may get an answer you were not expecting or even thinking about.

If that fails and you are still at a stalemate, you may want to check out the talk from the most recent Gen. Conf. by Larry Lawrence. He was talking about parenting teenagers, but I think the principle could apply to this situation. He said, "It’s so important for husbands and wives to be united when making parenting decisions. If either parent doesn’t feel good about something, then permission should not be granted. If either feels uncomfortable about a movie, a television show, a video game, a party, a dress, a swimsuit, or an Internet activity, have the courage to support each other and say no." In this case, I think the tie goes to you, but again I would encourage you make sure you are being honest with yourself about your reasons. Is it really what you are feeling is right through the Spirit? Or are you worried about how it will make you look?

As others have stated, in many areas with higher LDS population, Trick or Treating is acceptable on Saturday night. Our neighborhood is going out on Saturday this year. No Trunk or Treat - Trick or Treating house to house on Saturday. And just so you know what we have decided for our family, on Sunday we will not be going out, but we will be handing out candy for those who have decided to be out on that night - LDS or not. I find that there are some non-LDS neighbors that I rarely see & I love to have more opportunities to get to know them & interact with them. Halloween is a great opportunity for us to see each other. I figure if we are handing out candy as a family and spending time together, we are living the spirit of the Sabbath.

Good luck with your decision!

I think it's weird as all get out... but in our area there are 2 nights of trick or treating this year... saturday AND sunday.

I probably don't understand, but if you're so concerned about being recognized as LDS, and being respected for it, it just doesn't make sense to me at all to participate in a holiday that was originally about worshiping the devil. That was my only thought on it. I don't mean to be offensive, just a thought I had, since you mentioned how important Sundays are, etc. Hope you figure something out.

I would say, why is it inappropriate to go trick or treating on Sunday? Is it because you want to spend time as a family and don't participate in 'other' activities OR because you don't agree with Halloween in general.

Your kids don't have to go trick or treating if you choose to keep them in, but I don't think you could send them on a different day either. (UT is going on Saturday)

If it is because you don't agree with the Halloween meaning, then they shouldn't be celebrating at all. Shouldn't dress up or trick or treat. That would go against your beliefs.

I think you should stick to your guns. It is worth the discussion with your husband. Your kids need to know right from the off how important Sundays are. Keeping it holy sets them apart from other people as different and as such, they'll do different things on Sunday than they see other people doing. Trick or treating being one of them. I remember the year Halloween fell on a Sunday when I was a kid. We didn't go trick or treating and it was an excellent lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy that I still remember years later.
Stick to your guns. This is one thing you've got to convince your husband on. This is a big deal, don't let it slide because of pressure or not wanting to end up arguing with him about it. You can do it!:)
P.S. Maybe you and your husband could read this together and he'd find himself on your side?
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&...

Can he take the kids trick or treating, and you stay home? I personally do not see the harm in keeping the fun in Halloween even if it is a Sunday. Halloween is about celebrating family and the harvest, and for my family it is our favorite holiday, so I could not imagine not celebrating all aspects of it, but that is just me. Has your church specifically said not to participate?

lol this is REALLY funny.
My hubby was raised LDS but insists we hang a sign on the door saturday that reads "TODAY IS NOT HALLOWEEN, COME BACK TOMORROW"
and I think its HILARIOUS, but i think its kinda rude,
Remember as a child how we felt when someone was 'not home'
----But it really ticks me off that the state has to be whiny about 'not doing things on sunday' when its just a flippin' KIDS HOLIDAY ...
So I'm still torn on what to do. Its not like kids are GOING to come back 'tomorrow'.. right?

I understand, there are definitely things that we need to be teaching our children and following the Bible is one of them. God said to rest on the 7th day and in Bible times that is exactly what they did. If we stay home on Sunday then after Church we will change our clothes, eat dinner, and relax around the house. It is a very quiet and peaceful day. If we go anywhere it is to a parent's house and we do just about the same thing. Let the kids quietly play, we quietly visit, usually my husband's dad ends up taking a nap :)

As for Halloween, if your husband needs to hand out candy, then he can do it. Make a compromise take your kids Trunk or Treating and then on Sunday hand out the candy, but don't go trick or treating and have the pizza and play games. That is not being a Hypocrite or being a Pharisee. Maybe they can help your husband hand out candy.

BTW: I'm not LDS and I completely understand.

My husband and I are both LDS. We went to the ward Halloween party on Friday night and then passed out candy to trick or treators who came to our door on Sunday. It was okay for us to do that because we did this as a family and had a nice time serving the community in that way. This is what we will do in the future as well when Halloween falls on a Sunday.

I hear you saying you don't want to do this, and that you have your reasons for it. So to me your husband should accept that. I always think in joint decisions if it is SUPER important to you then he need sto let it go for that reason. If it were super super important to him, that they go, then i would side with him, but he sounds like he is just going with the secular flow not that he feels strongly about it.

Probably the best advice would be to talk to other parents in your situation. Then you and he should get on the same page about how you will raise your kids. easier said than done.

Okay, let me open with the fact that I am not LDS, so my context is different from yours. I am a protestant Christian. I think that what is or isn't appropriate on a Sunday is up to you and your husband as parents and as believers. The issue here is not what the world thinks - it's what you and your husband can agree on. And it sounds like therein lies the present difficulty. Do you think it would be possible for the two of you to come together on a decision about how to handle Halloween this year? It may mean that both of you need to bend a little. From what I've seen as an outsider in a predominately LDS neighborhood, what your ward decides as a community also matters. Will the other families in your congregation be trick-or-treating or passing out candy on Sunday? Has there been any guidance, or is everyone being left to follow the dictates of his/her conscience?

You and hubby have to decide what works for your family. I'm also LDS, and I plan to let my kids trick or treat (only a few houses b/c they are only 3)and I plan to hand out candy. The way we do it, it's a time to visit with our family and friends and I don't think celebrating a holiday violates the sabbath. We have no problem what so ever having friends and family over on Sundays for dinner and games, but that works for us. We've even had our bishop over. =) I guess my advice is do what you believe is right no matter what anyone on here says. BTW, I don't think it would be rude at all if you decided to not hand out candy and just played games at home but you and hubby should definitely show an united front. Good luck!

I was at a loss also because I'm all about letting my kids have fun but then I also had a desire to keep the Sabath day holy, but what I found out is that in my city there is a trick or treating in dowtown on the Saturday before Halloween so I'm going to take my kids to that and Trunk or treating. That way they get both experiences. See if your city does something like that. I live in a small town in Nebraska but I know Provo does something like this. So ask around.

Stick to our guns. If your husband wants to hand out candy then tell him go for it while you and your kids enjoy one anothers company. Family should be your focus on the Sabbath day.

A little late but- Growing up in Utah, and raising kids in Idaho for several years, expect your trick-or-treaters to show up on saturday (especially in a small town like Meridian)

When my daughter was living various places we traveled to see her and visited may different wards and stakes. You sound like a lifetime member and your husband doesn't. Many of the wards had different views on what to do and not to do an Sunday's.

Some thought is was perfectly fine going out and playing football with the family or playing in the family pool, taking a nap or watching a game on TV. One family in my ward kept their Sunday clothes on all day and only read from the scriptures and TV was not allowed.

So, when it comes right down to it, what you think, or believe, is what you have to go by, please be open to compromise and know it's not a mortal sin to go do stuff on Sunday. We re having our Trunk or Treat on Saturday and then we ARE going trick or treating on Sunday.

We are in Salt Lake area. We have only one child left-- an 11-year-old. Our ward is not doing trunk-or-treat. (We have quite a small primary.) I do not want to take kids trick-or-treating on Sunday either. I asked our Primary President and she said it is quite generally accepted to go out on Saturday instead, so I guess we'll try that. Also, Dad's work is having trick-or-treating among the cubicles that want to participate. I expect she'll be fine. I am willing to answer the door both Saturday and Sunday and I don't even care if it is the same kids coming again.

Previous years, other places, now grown kids -- we did let trunk-or-treat be enough when Halloween was on Sunday. (So, ask people in your ward what they are doing?)

We have discouraged our kids from active play (riding bikes, etc) on Sunday. We have rarely let them go to a friend's on Sunday. We occasionally let them have a friend over with the understanding that it will be "quiet play". Our son often has his girlfriend over on Sunday for our family games or movies.

It sounds like the issue isn't Halloween as much as it is the Sabbath.

My husband and I (both LDS raised and current) had different views on Sabbath appropriate. Over the years, we have negotiated back and forth and seem to have come to a point where we both feel comfortable (and trick-or-treating would not be a suitable activity in our book). It sounds like you and your husband should do some work together.

Do you have couple - scripture time and prayer? Maybe make the Sabbath a focus for your study (whether individual or couple or both) for a while. Have a few family home evening lessons (one you teach, one your husband teaches, maybe one of your boys could teach one too, depending on age) where you need to "research" - past conference talks, teachings of the prophets - and not just do the same old "what do we do on Sunday..." lesson. And make it a topic of prayer. Then you have to hope that the Spirit will speak to him (and listen for It's promptings to you, too) and come to a concensus.

So, this won't be resolved by Halloween. I would say, stick to your guns this time. Tell him that you're most worried about the message you're sending the boys - you SAY that you are in the world but not of the world, this is a time to show the boys that you walk the walk too. There's nothing rude about turning off your lights and not giving out candy on Sunday -- some religions completely avoid Halloween celebrations, etc, and other people just choose not to participate. That's the beauty of America- you get to make those kinds of choices with no reprisal!

Looks like you have lots of answers. I will just throw mine in. I live in Rigby. We of course are a small town mostly LDS. I have asked around and it seems the general consensous is TorT will be on Saturday night. Our ward is not doing a T or T this year and to complicate matters, our stake conference in on Saturday! I have also learned that our main street has T or T to the shops. Still trying to find out when, but I may do that too. My kids are still young, 5 and 1, so a little candy goes a long way!
Sunday if you want, just put a bowl of candy out. That way you are handing out candy, but it is not interupting your family time. I bet in Meridian, you don't get many people on Sunday.
Good luck. I read a few answers and totally agree with the ones telling you to be united with your hubby and work out a compromise.

Halloween is over but my 2 cents anyway- pharisees care more about how they look to others and the letter of the law. Also, your husband is the spiritual leader of the home and makes the final decision. You dont want to be the religion police in your home. The Sabbayh is a church and family day and living your religion should bring joy and not misery. Btw i am lds and went t or t both nights! Ha ha!

Attend the Trunk or Treat on Saturday.

On Sunday, put a bowl of candy on the front step with a note. 'Sorry we missed you! Take a piece, but leave the bowl'.

I did this when we bought a house one year, but hadn't moved in yet. They left the bowl, and a ton of candy wrappers on the lawn!! We have neighbors that do this every year because they both want to walk around, not stay home and hand out candy.

For your kids, create a candy hunt throughout the house and backyard.

I'm not LDS, but grew up in a small town in Utah. There was never any debate that there was no trick or treating on Sundays. It was always celebrated on Saturday or Monday. Trunk or Treat didn't exist.

I'd find out what the ward is saying. I don't know how big Meridian is, but if you have a lot of LDS families, I'm not sure you're going to see a lot of porch lights.

It is a little weird to me that your husband has other rules about Sunday, but thinks this is okay. None of my friends growing up would have been allowed to do anything like this on a Sunday.

That's tough. There are things my husband and i don't agree on either, they are more like little laws, and it is hard to compromise sometimes when you both feel very strongly on a subject. We try our best though. We were reading the responses and neither of us would take our kids out on sunday, but it was good to give us a chance to think of some other creative things to do and celebrate saturdays if this becomes an issue. Right now, living in utah, most kids will be coming on saturday. Good luck with what you decide. I don't think anyone can tell you anything other than it says "keep the sabbath day holy". It is up to you to prayfully decide what that means for your family,

What day has the city stated that trick -r- treating will take place? Around here the cities declare a day and time that trick -r- treating will take place. This year some cities are Saturday and other Sunday. We are going to take advantage of that and have the kids go out both days. It will be fun for them to get to dress up two days instead of just one.