> Anyway, I think they go about it in a smart way--they know that young kids may not understand why they don't get to go out and dress up and get candy like everyone else, so the church collects candy to give to them, and encourages the kids to dress up as bible characters and stuff for this party. That way, they don't feel left out, but the emphasis is on God, and not evil spirits and such.
>

Yep yep... that's what our Fall Family Festival is about, too. It's REALLY fun, and we always get a TON of people who come. We have traditional door-to-door trick-or-treat (which is what I'm doing this year), and a HUGE variety of games where the kids can win candy (or, in the case of the Cake Walk, cake). Everything from a dunk tank game to ring toss to a test of strength to a basketball throw to... well, you get the picture. We go all out. :) There are door prizes, one of those 733t castle bounce thingies, and one of the church ladies who keeps ponies brings them down for the kids to ride. It's VERY fun. :)

Oh, and the only costume stipulations we have is nothing gory, demony/devilsh, witches, ghosts, etc. Anything else is fine, not necesarily JUST Bible characters. So if a kid wants to dress up as Pikachu instead of King David... fine with us. :)

> Don "Not going to dress up, myself--the only costume I have is Darth Vader, and he is neither Biblical nor harvest-related. :-)" Monkey

Sosi"One year my dad wore his bathrobe, a pair of moose antlers, and carried a stick - Moose-es! You may all groan now."qui