🎃 Holy Hustle Halloween: When Queen Esther Meets Encanto 👑

Halloween at our house is always… an event. Every year, I tell myself I’ll start costume planning early. Every year, I lie.

I have this wild mom dream of my kids matching in the cutest themed costumes because if I’m already stressed, I might as well be stressed cohesively, right? One year we were the magical Madrigals from Encanto(and yes, we don’t talk about Bruno, but we do talk about how much glitter that year involved). Another year it was Toy Story, my son got to be Buzz, which he claims was symbolic of his “infinite patience”. Last year we nailed Inside Out. My 11year old as “Joy” danced down the driveway while my youngest embodied “Disgust” trying to keep everyone’s wigs on straight.

But this year? Oh, this year hit different. Time slipped away between homework, church events, and trying to remember where I last saw my sanity. I blinked and it was October 31st. No theme. No matching. Just chaos and candy wrappers.

Now, here’s the plot twist: I wasn’t even raised celebrating Halloween. Pastor’s kid life meant we did “Hallelujah Night” or “Fall Festivals,” and my costume options were strictly biblical. My all-time favorite? Queen Esther, because hello, royalty. I wore that crown proudly, waving to my siblings like I was in a holy parade. 👑✨

Fast forward to my own kids, my husband, who absolutely loves Halloween (ugh), turned it into a full-blown family affair. The man thrives on carving pumpkins and comparing candy hauls. But as his work schedule’s gotten more demanding, the torch or should I say, the candy bucket has been passed to me. And let’s just say… I wasn’t ready.

Enter: Trunk or Treat. 🙌Bless the churches (especially mine!) that host these events. Seriously. It’s like a holy Halloween rehab for moms who forgot to buy costumes until 3 PM on October 31st. There’s something so beautiful about seeing the community come together, kids dressed as everything from superheroes to shepherds, parents sipping coffee and catching up, and everyone just enjoying being kids at heart.

And honestly, that’s the part I love most. Seeing pure joy, laughter, and fellowship under twinkling lights and hay bales, it reminds me that the heart of it all isn’t spooky; it’s sweet. The Bible says in James 1:17 that “every good and perfect gift is from above,” and sometimes that gift looks like a child’s laughter while eating way too many fun-sized Snickers.

So, no, we didn’t match this year. I didn’t pull off Pinterest perfection. But we showed up. We smiled. We shared candy and conversation. And maybe that’s what it’s all about: showing up with love, joy, and a thankful heart even if your “theme” this year is Surviving October by the Grace of God.

✨ Until next time, stay sweet, stay sane, and remember, you’re royalty too. 👑 – Raquel, your Holy Hustlin’ Mama