halloween dilema

Halloween is in three weeks. On the 31st of October for those who don't know!!! And there are "people" who don't know. As Halloween approaches I am faced with the same dilemma I face every year, do I give credence to the "holiday" or let it pass by unnoticed?! In years past I've never had cause to dress up for it, and until last year I had never roamed the streets trick or treating. Last year I joined the family I care for and knocked on doors with the little girl. I didn't dress up, and I came by to see her dressed up as a princess. This year will be a repeat of last year - seeing Marissa as Tinkerbell and Michael as Tigger.

My dilemma falls with the possible invite to a Halloween Party that night, where it will be expected that guests appear in costume. I have nothing against dressing up, costume parties in and of themselves can be quite fun, it is the fact that it will be a Halloween Costume Party. I am not keen on going. I've maintained through the years a stubborn persistence that I would not celebrate Halloween, that I find it to be a holiday honoring things that I would not want to have in my life - witches, ghouls, ghosts, etc; and had said when I have my own children it would not be something I would allow them to participate in, including the "Christian" alternative of a Harvest Festival - which again, in and of itself I have no problem with, just the fact that essentially it is for Halloween - have a Harvest Festival on another night.

So if I go to the party, am I giving in? I know it really isn't that big of deal when it comes to standing one's ground, but if I let the ground shift on this, what else would I let it shift on down the road?! But if I don't go am I being rude not to attend and be with friends?

Really to complicate issues further in regards to the psuedo holiday, Christmas and Easter were originally pagan celebrations, and could arguably be considered still so today, but I'll tackle that closer to Christmas - which by the way is still 75 days away, said with emphasis to the radio station that played Christmas music today!!! But Christmas and Easter do have one key redeeming factor, does Halloween???