Is it over yet

Every year at this time I anxiously await November first. I am very against halloween. I have had to endure critisism. But, that doesn't bother me. I know what I believe. Some have said they don't want their kids to "miss out". Others say that if I am going to avoid halloween then I shouldn't participate in the pagan traditions of Christmas and easter (which, I actually don't participate in). I do, however, do a tree and gifts, no santa, all the while keeping our focus on our Savior. Now, my response to this is that putting up a Christmas tree does not compare to participating in a "holiday" that focuses on death and whitchcraft. Still, some say that they do not allow their kids to dress in "bad" costumes. Oh, so does that make it right? This does not change the meaning behind this day of the year. Some do not know the terrible origins...read here http://www.exposingsatanism.org/halloween.htm  And, some do know and ignore it. Have we become so desensitized that we are so easily decepted into thinking this is harmless...
Someone, a Christian, once told me that they participated in halloween because when s(he) was a child s(he) was not allowed to go out and the family sat in the basement hiding from it all. This person believed that their family was not being a light by just running from it. Ok...we do need to be a light and we don`t want non believers to think we are being self righteous. BUT, the Bible IS very clear about witchcraft and evil. Look, I am not trying to condemn anyone. But, the reality is that this evil day is not honoring God. I know some people do halloween alternatives, etc. I really don`t get the point of any of it to be honest. We treat it like any other day, because it is! Kids like to dress up. For my daughter`s birthday party, the kids got to dress up. Kids like candy. Our kids get treats as rewards all the time. Infact, Benjamin tells people `` I don`t like halloween, I just like candy``.
The other day I was at the grocery store and Benjamin told the cashier that he doesn`t do halloween because he doesn`t praise the enemy, he praises God. I, in my flesh, cringe when he says this (and he has told a lot of people) because I worry what people will think. BUT, in the spirit I am so proud of him. At his age he knows what he believes and takes a stand. This particular time, I watched and waited for her response. She was so impressed! She turned out to be a believer and it was really awesome. The next day as we drove down the street to my inlaws, I drove slowly by a house that was all decked out, graveyard and all. I showed it to Benjamin and told hime how that was glorifying death...God is not dead! He is alive, and we are alive in Him! He gets it. So, am I hiding from it...NO! I use it as a teaching tool. We spent halloween this year partly at Home Depot looking at Christmas decorations, then came home to watch a movie and eat some munchies :) halloween was not mentioned, and I can`t wait for tomorrow to begin!