Halloween Parties and Trunk or Treat. All Saints Day?
Halloween is an exciting part of every year for a child. Our Trunk or Treat event hosted by the PTO is a fabuouls event every year for our parish school community. Is it a little bit redundant to have a room party to celebrate Halloween when "trunk or treat" was a few days before? Should we as a Catholic School try to put more of an emphasis on All Saints Day and move the Room Parties to All Saints Day? I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.
posted by croy @ 10:27 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
As a room parent, I enjoy interacting with the students in my kids' classrooms. This has been a good way to get to know the whole class, not just my kids' friends. It is also a good way to have some interaction with the teacher. I think it builds community.
Even though there are a great many families that attend Trunk or Treat, not everyone attends. I don't think it is at all redundant to have classroom parties.
The mass and saint presentations are a very nice and appropriate way to celebrate All Saints Day. I don't think one celebration should replace the other.
I don't mind the parties & trunk or Treat, but I am frustrated by the lack of communication for the school day events. I had no communication about the Halloween party in the class, costumes, etc. Also, I had a very upset daughter when I did not send her to school dressed like a saint for All Saints day. I did not even know that was an option.
How about a little respect for the room parents who make countless sacrifices and get to spend just 3 hours in the classroom with our children and their classmates? As a room parent for the past 10 years, I look forward to the privilege of spending an hour at each of these 3 parties with my son and his classmates and his teachers. Let's remember they're still kids.
As far as the conflict between classroom parties vs. Trunk or Treat vs. an All Saints Day celebration, lets compare apples to apples. There is room for all of these!
Let's improve this entire situaiton with better communication.
I say that we can make time for all of these events. As previously stated, not everybody comes to the Trunk-or-Treat. As far as room parties go, I think that one whole hour is appropriate- a half hour just doesn't cut it. Some parents take a day off work to attend and organize the parties. For half an hour is it really worth it? I am very much in favor of the All Saints Day events.
I think there is room for all three.
Classroom Halloween, Valentines and Christmas parties are a classic memory for all children and i think we should keep them.
I agree that we shouldn't give up our classroom parties. But does it matter whether it is a Halloween party or an All Saints Day party? Most of the St. Marks kids attend some sort of Halloween function outside of school, whether it be Trunk or Treat( wonderful event!) or the Zoo or Wildlife Prarie park events. They also dress up on Halloween night to trick or treat again. Does anyone do anything outside of what the children do at school for All Saints Day? I am sure there are a slim few who do, but most do not. The children would still get to dress up. They would still get to pass out candy ( and it would be on clearance). They would still have their classroom party. Moms and Dads would still get interaction with students, eachother, and teachers. And think of the educational aspect. We would all get to learn about saints that we never knew about. I think all classroom parties should be 1 hour. It really is only 3 times a year!!!! Let's not be a bah-humbug!
I agree that we shouldn't give up our classroom parties. But does it matter whether it is a Halloween party or an All Saints Day party? Most of the St. Marks kids attend some sort of Halloween function outside of school, whether it be Trunk or Treat( wonderful event!) or the Zoo or Wildlife Prarie park events. They also dress up on Halloween night to trick or treat again. Does anyone do anything outside of what the children do at school for All Saints Day? I am sure there are a slim few who do, but most do not. The children would still get to dress up. They would still get to pass out candy ( and it would be on clearance). They would still have their classroom party. Moms and Dads would still get interaction with students, eachother, and teachers. And think of the educational aspect. We would all get to learn about Saints that we never knew about. I think all classroom parties should be 1 hour. It really is only 3 times a year!!!! Let's not be a bah-humbug!
I can see the need for an hour. The intention of shortening for Halloween was due in part to the loss of two hours on Friday to accomodate the Stunt Show Rehearsal for the students. The lack of communication is primarily my fault. I had notified the teachers three weeks in advance and was under the false assumption that room parents and teachers communicated in advance about the party planning.
I did not realize that the parties were sponosored by room parents through the organization of the Women's Club and that the Woman's Club communicated the schedule. All I can say is Mea Culpa! Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
I like saving money on candy by celebrating All Saints Day with the Room Parties. It would certainly make that day more special in the minds and hearts of the children.
Not to rain on the joy of Halloween and all that goes with it but celebrating All Saints Day is specifically Catholic and we do exist primarily to pass on our Faith.
At the base of the question is, perhaps, an inquiry regarding moving away from the pagan celebration.
Forget about it.
Children want to do Halloween. The church has a holy day close by. Go to mass for that. Leave the secular holiday alone. It's pretty harmless.
I think parties on all saints day (rather than Halloween) would be a Great way to inspire students to want to learn more about these Holy Men and Women. There are many resources on simple games revolving around the lives of the Saints. "Pin the Halo" on the saint, "St. Martha's Bakery Booth"(homemade cookies ready to decorate with various saintly symbols), "St. Anthony's Lost and Found"-(can you find the religous medal hidden in each container?)-are just a few examples. Candy, Holy Cards as well as inexspensive religous medals could be used as prizes. Maybe the question should not be "what is wrong with Halloween celebrations in Catholic School?" but rather, what good is it doing for the students? Do we need to spend so much time planning for a secular holiday (that already has such much emphasis in the stores on tv) while we simultanously leave the planning of activities revolving such awesome role models as an afterthought ?
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