The fall season offers abundant reasons to celebrate. Cool weather, new harvests, and the smell of pumpkin pie, just to name a few! Halloween is certainly one of those ‘holidays’ that is practically synonymous with fall.

While many in the Church are split about celebrating Halloween as a Christian, there are certainly a few ways we can help our families who decide to observe Halloween do so in a manner that can be deemed as not making concessions on their faith … for even the youngest of family members.

For some, because of the some of the pagan origins of Halloween and the evil tone of celebrations that go hand-in-hand with the holiday, it is decided to forgo observing it altogether, and this is totally up to a person and his or her faith and convictions. With whatever reservations a Christian might have regarding Halloween or even Harvest Fests (an alternative Halloween celebration adopted by many churches), we should respect their positions and remember to always act in a way that honors God.

Here is one documentary that explores many of the inhibitions some Christians have when it comes to celebrating Halloween — it’s called Halloween? Trick or Treat?

Origin of Halloween

The origin of Halloween has been debated by many. There are some pagan traditions such as the Celtic holiday Samhain and other celebrations involving the so-called spirit world that have some Christians wondering whether we should honor such a holiday at all. Old folklore suggests that during the pagan celebrations, spirits of the dead were called to join in special feasts and certain rituals were performed to protect oneself from evil spirits.

There are, however, many Christian roots to Halloween as well. All Hallow’s Eve is celebrated on October 31st, All Saints Day is celebrated on November 1st, and All Souls Day is celebrated on November 2nd. All three of these feast days are Christian (some are particularly Catholic) in nature and serve to honor the souls of deceased loved ones — as some Catholics use this time to pray for the forgiveness of sins and entrance into Heaven.

So he question still arises … should Christians celebrate Halloween … and if so, how??

Here are a few ways to celebrate in a manner that could be suitable for even the youngest of party goers.

Costumes

Dressing up in costume is synonymous with Halloween fun. Costumes don’t have to be scary, gory, or inappropriate in any way. Consider throwing a costume party with a theme that is family friendly, like favorite television characters, centuries past, animals or Bible heroes. If you are a particularly creative individual or have little ones who like to display their artistic abilities, why not try your hand at making your own costumes? Check out these great ideas for creative DIY inspiration.

Fall Festivals

There are plenty of ways to celebrate the season and the beautiful weather, scents and scenery that accompany it. Check out farms, orchards and other local venues to find fall festivals that are going on in your area. Hayrides, pumpkin painting, tractors and petting farms are all wonderful ways to have family friendly fun this Halloween season. 

Consider throwing your own backyard festival with games, scarecrow making and other crafts, bobbing for apples, and plenty of apple cider. Skip the haunted houses and haunted trails and try to find events that are more harvest themed than they are spooky.

Educate

If you have a strong desire to incorporate faith in this year’s festivities, consider finding ways to educate the family on the true meaning of All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and All Hallow’s Eve. Ask your church, pastor or youth group leader for help and ideas.

Here are a few resources including books, songs, games, worksheets, and lesson plans.

Check your local Christian bookstore for Halloween books to read as a family.

Trick-or-Treat

Trick-or-treating is a favorite pastime for many children. Christians who don’t want to totally forgo can consider options other than setting their children loose in their neighborhood. Oftentimes, malls and shopping centers coordinate trick-or-treating opportunities that take place earlier in the day, which can be suitable for younger children. As long as you set guidelines and safety measures for your children on Halloween night, you might consider letting them partake in evening trick or treating as well under your supervision. This could even be a great way to share your faith with some of your neighbors … of course, straying away from the evil or demonic side of the holiday.

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