A Preacher's Take on Halloween

This time each year I start hearing the “Halloween debate.” Should we, as Christians, take part in this holiday? Should we let our children go trick-or-treating? Should our churches host an alternative event on Halloween night? These are all valid questions in a legitimate discussion, but let’s remember a few things:

Halloween doesn’t have to be evil. Yes, there are some oddballs who try to make it a night of séances and sin. And yes, it has a sketchy history. But, honestly, how many converts has witchcraft gotten through trick-or-treating?? How many children have become Satanists as a result of dressing up on October 31st?? Pardon the sarcasm, but I trust you see my point.

Halloween is about candy… plain and simple. This holiday isn’t the tool of Satan as much as it is the tool of Sugar! When I was a kid, the last night of October wasn’t about blood & gore, or ghost stories, or even dressing up; it was all about the candy. Kids aren’t thinking about adult things like demons and black magic. They just want the sweets.

Having said all that, I do think we should approach this holiday with some ‘sanctified common sense’. Here’s what I mean:

• Pick costumes that are fun and creative as opposed to scandalous and scary. We can’t complain about the ‘evils of Halloween’ and then let our children run around as ax murderers and zombies.


• Choose appropriate decorations for your house and church events (I’ve seen some very inappropriate things even at ‘Fall Festivals’). Carve the pumpkins, put up the spider webs. But I’m not sure bloody bodies hanging from the trees qualifies as God-honoring.


• If you’re a parent or if you’re hosting a party, create your own Halloween environment. Have a contest for the funniest or most creative costume and not the scariest. Simply change the focus of your home or party.
  

So if you, as a Christian, want to celebrate Halloween, I say go for it… just save your leftover candy corn for me!