Walking to school this morning, a girl from the Joker’s year had a bit of a moan at me:
When I come trick or treating to your house I have to do a joke.
Last year we imposed our Scottish guising rules and it’s obviously been remembered! I have a couple of pumpkins in and we’ll be frantically carving a pumpkin devotional after school tonight. I need to get off to buy some rubbish sweeties now, but I’m rather looking forward to treating the local kids later and telling them about the Light of Christ.
Last year I posted a Christian pumpkin gallery – so do tweet or link me your pics of this year’s gourds and I’ll stick another one up.
Last year's pumpkin
The Vicar's Wife 
When children come to the door I sit on the bottom of the stairs (to be around their level) and make some appreciative comment about how frightening they look. I then reveal the biscuits, saying they were made that morning especially for them, but before I hand the home-baking over we have a little chat. I acknowledge that they think what they are doing is just a bit of fun, but I might ask if they have ever been really frightened of anything? I tell them that there is Someone who is more powerful than all the dark and scary things in the world. That Someone – is the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s not the occasion for a long sermon, but I do trust something will stick with them in later life. Off they go happily clutching their cookie and a leaflet.
One year an unknown child called while the mother stood at a little distance. She was happy for me to talk to her infant until I mentioned the words, ‘Lord Jesus Christ’. At this point she screamed at her child not to take the biscuit and to get away from me quickly, hurling abuse in my direction. I was left convinced that Halloween has far more devilish roots than many Christians would admit.
The above excerpt taken from my parenting book ‘Did God make those Bananas?’