Halloween (Should Christians take part?)

With the less than mention worthy so called holiday of halloween upon us I felt compelled to ad a bit here. I found this post and it's related comments good reading. http://www.pantokrator.org/2005/10/18/Christians-celebrating-pagan-holidays/

I have to say that I do not believe we as Christians should in any way celebrate this holiday. In the above blog the question is raised about Christmas and Easter which a commenter plainly points out should be celebrated but only for the purpose of celebrating Christs birth, his death and resurrection.

My true thoughts on this however deal with the now common practice of having "Fall Festivals" or replacement celebrations at churches. In theory I understand the reasoning behind these is to provide a safe alternative to traditional halloween celebration, however is this a case where the church has compromised? While I have attended many of these and have seen many good aspects of showing Christ at these events somehow it still seems a bit awkward to me.

I can't say at present that it is a bad thing, because it does accomplish it's purpose of being an alternative, but I do wonder if the church and we as Christians should give this terrible night any recognition at all.

James