I agree with you. When I was younger, I did not allow my children to go trick or treating because it was unsafe in our neighborhood. However, I did not want them to feel "left out" at the public school they attended, so I wrapped seven (7) small gifts for each of them (not expensive) and threw what I felt to be acceptable "candy" around our house. When they got home from school Halloween afternoon they put their costumes on (none of which were either spiritual or evil, just fun). At about 6pm, after our dinner, their dad and I would shout, "One, Two, Three, Ready, Hunt!!" They would go scurrying through the house looking for their gifts and picking up as much "candy" as possible - the next day, at school, in their lunches appeared some of the candy they received the night before - and they were none the worse for the wear. There were even some friends that were a little jealous that they had gifts as well as candy. I included the gifts just because I wanted to, but they aren't necessary.
Now, my husband and I are older with no grandchildren and we have such fun giving out candy to the "trick-or-treators" that come to our house. We set pumpkins out on our front porch and have fall decorations all over - and do we ever love seeing all those little children in their "Angel, Power Rangers, Spiderman, etc., costumes!! What fun we have and how we always remember that Christ so loves these little ones!!
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