All Hallows' Eve

Two angels and St. John the Baptist

I sewed the angel costumes using a regular dress pattern I have (increasing the arms) and in flannel because the weather would be chilly. Humorous note about white flannel: Apparently the white flannel I purchased is wide enough to make sheets--like, king sheets. So when I was guessing how much I'd need for two little angels and I asked for four yards, no wonder the cutting lady at the fabric store arched her eyebrow. Not till I got home and began to sew did I see that the fabric was the width of king sheets instead of 45" wide. Yes, I have a lot of leftover white flannel. Perhaps I will sew nightgowns or something!

We greatly enjoyed the All Saints' vigil party held at our parish. It is not limited to homeschooling families but I think that is all who end up attending. It is so popular that we have to put a limit on attendees in order to fit in the large cafeteria. This year, 75 attending children were allowed, so there were about 200 people total when one counted helper teenage siblings and parents.

The evening began with singing the Litany of the Saints and praying one decade of the Rosary for the souls of the dead. How much does Mama's heart leap when she sees her 19-month-old hear the Rosary being prayed and the toddler drops to her knees and starts thumping her chest in her version of the sign of the cross?

Then the children played games all around the room. Each game is something simple, like a ring toss, but with a saint's theme to it. The creativity is wonderful! Children receive candy and holy cards at each game station.

The volume in the room is astounding. My voice is hoarse from shouting to be heard. The heat goes up. What ridiculous six-month-pregnant woman thought she needed to wear a turtleneck just because it is a cold night?

There was a pumpkin-carving contest. Above is a photo of my favorite one, the most ornate there tonight!

There was also a cake walk, done in stages starting with children four and younger, moving up through the age groups, and finishing with the parents. Each cake had attached to it a note asking for prayers for that family's deceased loved ones, listed by name. So, whoever won a cake will pray for those souls. Additionally, there was a huge chest of "soul candies" for all the children who did not win a cake. Each candy was a lollipop encased in a tissue with a face drawn on it, to look like a ghost. A ribbon was tied around the "neck" with a note attached, requesting, "Please pray for the soul of so-and-so, deceased." In an extremely touching gesture, the mother who assembled those soul candies listed my mother's name on a lot of them, so many sweet children in our parish will be praying for her soul! What a gift to me (to her)! (Thank you, dear K----!)

All in all, a wonderful night. But, as I realized with the bodily fatigue I am feeling, I am having to face: "I can't do Thanksgiving." That's a whole additional month of pregnancy away! Chris had asked me last week if I'd consider us going to a restaurant for Thanksgiving (he being a kind husband who notices it's already hard for me to get a regular dinner on the table each night, and wanting to give me a rest) and I was almost too horrified to reply because one must do Thanksgiving properly. Today I told him, "Honey, I'm ready to open up negotiations about Thanksgiving at a restaurant. I can't do Thanksgiving." I am humbled by my own limitations! I keep thinking about all the late-pregnant women who will be hostess with the mostess at Thanksgiving . . .

Bonus reading: Great articles on Catholics reclaiming Halloween and on the Catholic history of this holy vigil day. Also, our pastor wrote a good letter in our parish bulletin about the real spiritual dangers of certain practices that often occur around Halloween. Remember, tomorrow is All Saints' Day, a holy day of obligation!