Fall Festival

Over the years Halloween has turned into a time of violence and fright. Halloween was originally a time of celebrating the dead, through feasts and light. A time when we celebrated the death of our ancestors by family feasts and gatherings, has become a time of morbid events by occult followers, thanks to the media and Hollywood filmmakers. Children are literally scared out of their wits on this night that was meant to be a observance.

Halloween violence usually starts out as pranksters having fun, or what they think is a good time. Throwing rocks or eggs at cars may seem like fun, but can turn into ugly violent acts of destruction and tragedy. I'm sure putting razors, needles, and poison started out as a prank, but when children lose their lives on a night meant for fun and celebration there is no joke.

Halloween parades at schools have been changed to Fall Festivals. Elementary schools have replaced the typical Halloween parade with the Fall festival, incorporating the traditional Halloween theme by letting students of each grade chose a different theme, and by allowing them to design their own costumes. This helps to get all students, no matter what race or cultural background, involved in the celebrations. Students whose parents can not afford costumes or don't have the time to help them make one don't feel left out because they all work on their costumes together in a classroom setting.

Some small children are afraid of scary masks, and tend to become uncomfortable in the usual Halloween setting. With the Fall Festival theme children from certain religious backgrounds feel like they can be part of the festivities when the theme is changed to a Fall Festival.

Some parents aren't happy with the idea of a Fall Festival... arguing the fact that we are spoiling the traditional Halloween fun for the children. What they don't seem to understand is the scary Halloween costumes, the blood, and gore, was brought about by the above mentioned media type who have turned this holiday celebration into something more than its original intention.

Many different beliefs can be incorporated into the Fall Festival, and most parents agree that this is a better idea, and no student will feel left out.

Lets put the fun back into Halloween for our children, and make the Fall Festival a time of celebrating the harvest, the cool refreshing weather, and the beautiful colors of the season.

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