come out and be separate...while imitating the real thing

I grew up in a typical Christian home. That means we never really celebrated Halloween, although it was not for your typical reasons. My parents seemed okay with someone else buying candy for us instead of paying for it themselves, but my mom is a very paranoid woman. If it could happen, it would...twice. There were some reports of awful people putting razor blades into candy in Detroit a long time ago, and so my trick or treating days were over before they started. Even after we moved to peaceful, religious Grand Rapids, my mom feared and forecasted the worst. We would, however, get to go to the mall every Halloween, eat at the food court, and hit up every store for candy. We got a decent enough take, and my mom did not have to inspect any of it with a black light.

I was not alone in my non-celebration of Halloween. I had lots of Christian friends whose parents would not let them partake in the devil's holiday. Dressing like Superman and filling a pillowcase with candy is something only the devil could come up with. So instead, a lot of my friends would go to local churches to have fun at a Harvest Party or a Trunk or Treat. This was the church's idea of doing something counter cultural and shunning worldly practice. It's how they came out from the world and became separate. How was this accomplished? The kids wear costumes, get candy, and party on October 31. That sounds like a really good idea! It's nothing like Halloween at all! Finally, an alternative to the devil's candy gathering practices.