Love that Halloween candy! But here’s something better than Halloween. With a little creativity, we can enjoy fall festivities without stepping into the dark side. (Keep reading to the end for my suggestions.)
First, let’s take an honest look at Halloween. A quick search reveals that Halloween goes back to the ancient Celtic New Year festival of Samhain, god of the dead. The Celts believed that spirits of the dead could step over into the land of the living. Jack-o-lanterns and bonfires were used to scare away evil spirits. Villagers baked treats to appease spirits who played tricks and paraded in scary costumes hoping to lure away dead. Today people still observe many of these fear-based traditions with masks, costumes, scary pumpkins, and trick or treating. The themes of evil spirits and death are celebrated with decorations of skeletons, monsters, tombstones, and ghosts. Costumes also often portray violent and bloody criminals. Halloween is also a highly celebrated holiday for those involved in witchcraft and Satanism.
When we become aware of the roots and realities of Halloween, we cannot “un-know” it. In participating in some of these traditions, are we not unwittingly affirming them?
Three of the things that drive the spirit of Halloween are: the huge billion-dollar profits retailers rake in, the spirits of evil and violence that pervade our culture, and the well-meaning attitude of “But it’s just for fun.”
That last one I’d like to address. Is it really “fun” to scare children and add fuel to their nightmares? Is it really “fun” to pretend you’re a blood-loving serial killer? Is it “fun” to promote a pagan, fear-driven holiday that coincides with Satanic rituals? Certainly, we can have fun in other ways!
“But dressing up is harmless,” you may say. When you’re in costume, you represent and identify with that character. You proceed to act “in character.” (A lion growls, a monster scares.) The Bible tells us, “Dear Friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good,” 1 and “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”2 That means our dress and actions should not give even a hint that we support or are involved in things not approved by our God.
We can have lots of fun in celebrating positive themes like harvest, fall foods, and God’s beautiful creation. I propose we decorate MORE with fall leaves, pumpkins, cornstalks, and mums. Let’s enjoy family activities like corn mazes, hayrides, apple picking, and parties. Let’s dress up as storybook and Bible characters, animals, funny clowns, and favorite occupations (baker, nurse, chemist, policeman). Let’s enjoy candy, pumpkin cookies, apple pie, and cider. All these things are good, wholesome FUN! They are not only enjoyable, but also replace the dark imagery with good things: celebrating family, togetherness, and the blessings of harvest time.
For some, Halloween can be an invitation to take a step towards the dark side, to flirt with the dangerous, mysterious, or unknown. That can lead you further than you thought you’d go. Halloween and the dark powers behind the night are highly and widely celebrated by those involved in all forms of witchcraft and Satanism (which include animal sacrifices and more). Moving our celebrations away from October 31 is one way to distance from these rituals.
The Bible tells us, “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good…. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” 3 We can overcome the evil and darkness of Halloween by promoting the good things God has created for our enjoyment.
Please share your ideas of ways to celebrate this season with good things!
1 3 John :11; 2 1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV; 3 Romans 12:9, 21