It's that time of year - the time to have the Halloween talk. It's kind of an annual tradition, you know? One of the littles asks "Why don't we do Halloween?" And then Mom yammers on about how death and gore isn't really that celebratory in her opinion and we're not really into begging from door to door and threatening to trick people who don't give and candy isn't even good for you, you know, and it's not a big deal but that's just what we've decided.
But times are changing. I think some the older kids feel they need to let go of the fascination with Halloween, and replace that with a passion for Reformation Day.
The conversation at breakfast goes something like this:
"We should hang Luther's ninety-five theses on our door for Reformation Day, hey mom?"
"Joe, I think it's, like, really long. And where would you get it?"
"Everything's on the internet, Anna."
"You'd have to type it all up."
"There is such a thing as copy and paste."
"Yeah, we could print it in a really cool, fancy script, and burn the edges of the paper..."
"But we wouldn't want to put nails in our door."
"We could use tape!"
"That wouldn't be as good."
"We should get a big blow-up of Luther holding a hammer."
"- Or, we could nail one to everyone's door!"
"Luther didn't just hammer things, Jim."
"And the Reformation wasn't only about Luther, hey, Mom? I know! We could also put a tulip on the lawn!"
"Oh! I know! I know! The night before Halloween, we could hang up the ninety-nine species--"
"SPECIES, Marike?" (Lots of giggling.)
"It's ninety-nine THESES, honey-pot. (Or was it ninety-five?)"
"Oh. What's theses???"
I guess the boys have learned to appreciate the drama of Martin Luther going up against the establishment with just a hammer and ninety-five theses (or was it species?). Plans are in the works to dress up as the Reformers when trick or treaters come knocking. ("What are you going to hand them? Bookmark editions of the ninety-five theses?" I asked dryly, and their eyes lit up over the idea.) As they do their math I hear snatches of "Christian, Dost Thou See Them?" sung in action movie style and with a distinctly Piano Guys flair.
These are Heady Days, friends.
But times are changing. I think some the older kids feel they need to let go of the fascination with Halloween, and replace that with a passion for Reformation Day.
The conversation at breakfast goes something like this:
"We should hang Luther's ninety-five theses on our door for Reformation Day, hey mom?"
"Joe, I think it's, like, really long. And where would you get it?"
"Everything's on the internet, Anna."
"You'd have to type it all up."
"There is such a thing as copy and paste."
"Yeah, we could print it in a really cool, fancy script, and burn the edges of the paper..."
"But we wouldn't want to put nails in our door."
"We could use tape!"
"That wouldn't be as good."
"We should get a big blow-up of Luther holding a hammer."
"- Or, we could nail one to everyone's door!"
"Luther didn't just hammer things, Jim."
"And the Reformation wasn't only about Luther, hey, Mom? I know! We could also put a tulip on the lawn!"
"Oh! I know! I know! The night before Halloween, we could hang up the ninety-nine species--"
"SPECIES, Marike?" (Lots of giggling.)
"It's ninety-nine THESES, honey-pot. (Or was it ninety-five?)"
"Oh. What's theses???"
I guess the boys have learned to appreciate the drama of Martin Luther going up against the establishment with just a hammer and ninety-five theses (or was it species?). Plans are in the works to dress up as the Reformers when trick or treaters come knocking. ("What are you going to hand them? Bookmark editions of the ninety-five theses?" I asked dryly, and their eyes lit up over the idea.) As they do their math I hear snatches of "Christian, Dost Thou See Them?" sung in action movie style and with a distinctly Piano Guys flair.
These are Heady Days, friends.
