{"id":1439,"date":"2014-12-10T23:56:49","date_gmt":"2014-12-11T06:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/?page_id=1439"},"modified":"2015-07-04T07:14:00","modified_gmt":"2015-07-04T13:14:00","slug":"harvest-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/harvest-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Instead of Halloween, Host a Harvest Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"emily_scarecrow2010\"Want a fun alternative to Halloween? Host a Harvest Festival! It is lots of fun. My children wouldn’t trade it for trick-or-treating any day! We have been having Harvest Festivals for the past eleven years. When we first decided that Halloween didn\u2019t fit the description of seeking after things that are virtuous, praiseworthy and of good report, we realized that we couldn\u2019t leave a vacuum. We had to begin a new wholesome tradition to fill the gap<\/strong> left when we abandoned Halloween. My children look forward to Harvest Festival eagerly each year. Rather than decorating our house with ghosts, spiders and ghouls, we focus on the blessings God provides for us in a bounteous harvest. We leave these decorations up right through Thanksgiving. We learn songs such as \u201cCome Ye Thankful People, Come\u201d and other hymns that celebrate the harvest. God is the center of this season.<\/p>\n

If you would like to start a new tradition in your family by hosting a Harvest Festival, here are the ingredients for success. Invite 10 like-\u00adminded families. We usually make it a homeschool affair but anyone who shares your values will make for good company. We have had parties with 250 people but you can have a great time with just a few families!\u00a0\u00a0Make sure you have a variety of ages\u2014teenagers, young children, adults\u2014so everyone will have friends their age to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\"\"If your group is small, your home is fine. Bigger groups need a church building\u00a0or other\u00a0local building in your community. If there is a rental fee, ask\u00a0every family to donate $2 or whatever it will cost to pay the fee. We decorate very simply on a Harvest theme, such as pumpkins or squash, a horn of plenty, Indian corn, gourds, a scarecrow and bales of hay.<\/p>\n

Invite everyone young and old to\u00a0wear a costume but we ask for\u00a0non-scary<\/strong> Halloween costumes. Sometimes we have themed our party: medieval costumes or storybook characters. Children love to dress up, and we usually have tigers, bunnies, ballerinas, princesses, dress from other nations, historical heroes, and the like. We do emphasize, however, that we do not want any mummies, vampires, witches, jack\u00ad-o-lanterns and other Halloween dress. Our invitations state: “no scary costumes!”<\/p>\n

The evening can include\u00a0a potluck supper<\/strong>. This is harvest time, so we try to focus on the foods that the earth has given us. It is wonderful to be able to share a nutritious meal together. Some people bring nutritious desserts, such as\u00a0carob \u201cbrownies\u201d fresh apple cake (unfrosted) and honey popcorn balls. We’ve also tried charging one bag of candy as an entrance “fee” and using that candy as prizes for the games.<\/p>\n

We have families volunteer to set up a simple carnival game<\/strong>, such as a ring toss, tin can golf, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey or bean bag toss, giving each child a piece of candy or a small toy prize for trying. It’s pretty easy to gather small toy prizes by cleaning out your toy box and gather all the little toys or gadgets. One summer I found a whole box full of MacDonald happy meal toys at a yard sale for\u00a0$1.00. They<\/p>\n

\"Teens

Teens try to bob for doughnuts!<\/p><\/div>\n

make great prizes. So do stickers, pencils, and bouncy little balls. The teenagers often enjoy setting up and running these games for the younger children. It’s fun to include some games for the teens too!<\/p>\n

If you have a small group, it can be fun to\u00a0do\u00a0a talent show<\/strong>. Anyone can present a talent. We don\u2019t ask anyone to sign up or even make up the program. We just leave it open and it works great. Last year we had a ballet dance, singing, juggling, guitar playing and poetry and scripture recitals. The talent show usually lasts 30 minutes and then everyone pitches in to clean up, wipe off tables and put them away so we will have room for our family dance.<\/p>\n

A Family Dance\u00a0is such refreshing fun.<\/strong> Everyone is included from two-year-olds to Dads. We\u00a0do the Bunny Hop, the Hokey Pokey, Virginia Reel, square dances, and other fun dances. Initially people may feel shy, but family dancing is so much fun, that\u00a0once your guests are warm up to it, they will want the dance to go on and on.<\/p>\n

The problem is getting everyone to go home! It is such a fun event to be with other homeschool families, that no one wants to leave. Usually we begin at 6:00 PM and are still trying to close the party at 10:00 PM. For our family, Harvest Festivals are a joyful and anticipated event.You can make a\u00a0<\/span>frightening<\/span>\u00a0holiday into a celebration of God\u2019s goodness<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0in providing abundant food and the blessing of like-minded friends! Have a Harvest Festival!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May I recommend:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\"holdinghands\"
\nMaking Friends
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"fiddle\"
\nFavorite Fiddlin’ Music
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"12823\"
\nEnglish Country Dancing DVD
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Want a fun alternative to Halloween? Host a Harvest Festival! It is lots of fun. My children wouldn’t trade it for trick-or-treating any day! We have been having Harvest Festivals for the past eleven years. When we first decided that Halloween didn\u2019t fit the description of seeking after things that are virtuous, praiseworthy and of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[142,124,125,154],"class_list":["post-1439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-homeschool","category-homeschooling-social","tag-gratitude","tag-halloween","tag-harvest-festival","tag-social","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/emily_scarecrow2010.jpg?fit=280%2C374&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6IrRN-nd","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":444,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/sing-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":1439,"position":0},"title":"Sing Christmas!","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm not quite sure how the tradition started in our homeschool, but for as long as I can remember, we have learned a new Christmas song every single December. Not a common song but a unique song that we may have heard the melody of, but have not learned the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"homeschooling_1063_rebekahabilgailpiano","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/homeschooling_1063_rebekahabilgailpiano.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":652,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/doldrum-buster\/","url_meta":{"origin":1439,"position":1},"title":"Doldrum Buster!","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Winter can bring some dark days that give us cabin fever. What better way to break the doldrums than to celebrate! Just the words, \"let's have a party!\" gets everybody happy at my house. An ordinary supper can turn in to a \"dinner party\" in just 10 minutes! 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I did\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Life Skills"","block_context":{"text":"Life Skills","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/life-skills-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Midsummer: Growing, growing!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/teepee1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1040,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/facing-the-first-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":1439,"position":3},"title":"Facing the First Day","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s fall time\u2014back-to-school season\u2014and many mothers are facing the first day of homeschool for the very first time. Talking to a few of these mothers made me yearn to write to any mother who is in that wonderful and overwhelming position! If you are bringing children home from public school\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New to Homeschooling"","block_context":{"text":"New to Homeschooling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/new-to-homeschooling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Brothers Ammon and Nathan arm wrestling!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/DCP_4899-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2607,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/you-go-first\/","url_meta":{"origin":1439,"position":4},"title":"Sweet Civility","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"The world is getting rude. Sometimes my ears yearn for those soft and fluid words that show our humanity: our belief in Christ and the worth of a soul. The virtues of unselfishness and patience. Ah, words of kindness . . . Print them out and post them on your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Parenting"","block_context":{"text":"Parenting","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/why-homeschool\/homeschooling-parenting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/69.195.124.81\/~homescp3\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/helping_hand3.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":625,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/kids-gardening\/","url_meta":{"origin":1439,"position":5},"title":"Kids’ Gardening","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Planting a seed, watering and weeding, watching it grow, and finally eating the fruit of your labor is a fabulous lesson! Help your kids get enthused to plant a garden with these fun ideas! Instant Radishes Nothing spurs interest like success! Radishes grow so quickly\u2014just 20 days until harvest\u2014that kids\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Life Skills"","block_context":{"text":"Life Skills","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/life-skills-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/radishes-630868_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/radishes-630868_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/radishes-630868_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/radishes-630868_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/radishes-630868_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C715&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1439"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7348,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1439\/revisions\/7348"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}