How OR Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
Before I begin, I want to make it clear that this is NOT going to become a mean spirited type of discussion. We are all sisters in Christ and we should act accordingly. If ANYONE posts a mean come back or has the profound need to force others to believe what they believe to the point of arguing, their comments will be deleted and never again approved on this site. So play NICE!
OK…on to the discussion part…
Do you think Christians should celebrate Halloween? Why or Why not?
Also, if you do not actually celebrate Halloween, but DO participate in “alternative” fall festival type events, don’t you think that is also a form of celebrating?
I ask this, because we do not “celebrate” Halloween in and of itself. However, we do go to our church fall festival every year and dress up and participate in the activities there. The other day, I was thinking about it and I had a sort of epiphany…AM I CELEBRATING Halloween??? I think yes!
I would also like to know what other Moms of Faith think!
Growing up as a pastor’s kid we never dressed up for Halloween. We had some neighbors and relatives whose house we would go to and they would let us trick or treat without costumes. I love fall so I always decorate for “Fall”. Not into the whole witches, ghosts or goblins thing. But my kids to dress up and go trick or treating. There costumes are always G rated…..not devils, witches, goblins or monster things. Baseball players, clowns, pirate, firemen, crayon, hannah montana….things like that.
“How many times a year does every kid show up at your door? Be the house that gives the GOOD candy.”
I used to be opposed to celebrating, but in the last few years I have, with caution, altered my position. The above quote (well, probably paraphrased) is from James Dobson I believe. It struck me. I realized, partly from the statement above, that non-Christians won’t necessarily see our choice not to participate as anything other than just being “cheap.” So, we became the house that everyone wanted to go to for candy. We carved crosses in our pumpkins and decorated for fall–never anything scary. Now that we live on a farm and have no trick or treaters coming to our home, we help with our church’s “trunk n treat.” What an opportunity to share Jesus with people who would normally avoid church at all costs!!
Well, I’ve noticed how the schools will never say Halloween Celebration, but it is Costume Day or Dress Up Day, basically, it is on October 31st and no matter what you call it if you are dressing up, receiving treats, and partaking in the festivities I think you are acknowledging Halloween you just aren’t calling it. It is a personal decision based upon your personal beliefs and I agree you should pray on it. I love fall and go all out on fall decorating, no there arent witches or goblins hanging at my door, but there are pumpkins, scarecrows, etc. Fall and Halloween are two seperate things. I allow my daughter to dress up for Halloween and we do seperate things for the fall like pumpkin picking and hayriding, etc. I think if you really dont believe in celebrating Halloween, then dont do it and call it something else, it is what it is. This is a great topic and I think many Christian mothers struggle with this issue. Good luck on your decision :)
Honestly, I think it’s all in your intention. If you dress up and go trick or treating with your kids it is not inherently wrong. Actually, from my readings, it seems that Halloween as we know it today came to be from the Roman Catholic tradition of honoring saints and martyrs. In an attempt to replace the Celtic traditions of October 31st, they simply started celebrating All Saints-Eve on that day instead. That seems to be where our current traditions stem from more so than the Celtic traditions of thousands of years ago. Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century. I truly believe that it is nothing more than a fun celebration of community and all-out silliness. My kids dress up every year and we go trick or treating and I really have fun with it…without the fear of God judging me for it. I have no ill-intentions and I am not worshiping anyone but Him on any day…let alone Halloween.
I love Meghann’s idea of carving crosses in the pumpkins. I have struggled with this, and my kids have only gone trick or treating once. My husband is against it. I don’t feel it’s a bad thing to go trick or treating. It’s fun and great memories. I’m thinking of taking them this year, but not sure yet.