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As I drove up to my parent’s house this weekend, I pulled up short. Was I in the wrong driveway? I double checked the number and no, this was the right house. But there were smiling jack-o-lanterns hanging in the tree out front, another one on the door and even a couple of pumpkins peeking out of the bay window. In the 34 years I have known my parents they have never, not once, decorated for Halloween. Confused, I let myself in and went to find out what was going on.
When I was growing up my parents had a tumultuous relationship with the idea of Halloween. As Christians they did not want any hint of the occult brought into our home; as immigrants they struggled with an unfamiliar holiday. Over the years they vacillated on how seriously to take Halloween.
Some years we were allowed to trick or treat, other years we weren’t. There was always a “no scary costumes” rule. We carved pumpkins – the nothing scary rule applied here too – but beyond that we never decorated the house. The years we participated in Halloween we did so quietly. (And didn’t talk about it too much at church.)
Participating in Halloween for the sake of the Gospel?
You can imagine my surprise to see what appeared to be my own parents fully embracing Halloween. When I got a chance to ask my Dad about it his answer was insightful. He said that in his old age, (his words, not mine) he was learning to focus on what is important. In Halloween, there certainly are elements of the occult – there are haunted houses and scary decorations that celebrate things he is still unwilling to have anywhere near his home. But that is not all there is.
He pointed out that there is nothing evil that he could see in trick or treating in and of itself. It’s simply handing out candy to children, it’s being neighborly and that was something he wanted to participate in. He reminded me that there are already a lot of ways Christians are different – good ways and ways that confuse our neighbors – and he felt that not handy out candy was stingy. He feared that any message of Christ-like living would get lost if he left the lights off on Halloween night and refused to participate. He wanted to be there, meeting his neighbors, telling the kids how great their costumes were, making them smile.
He wanted the kids of the neighborhood to know that he and my Mom are welcoming. He wanted the kids to know that if they were even in trouble, the pair of them would help if they could. In meeting the kids on Halloween night, he also gets to meet the parents. Those conversations over candy and costumes are all part of getting to know the people in his own backyard. We are commanded to love our neighbors. But you can’t love someone you don’t know. (There are all sorts of ways to reach out and share the Gospel with your neighbors.)
So this year, for the first year ever, there are Halloween decorations up at the Colvins’. There’s still nothing scary, you’ll find no witches or skeletons here. But you will find smiling pumpkins, and smiling Christians to meet you at the door. You will find them participating in the life of the community without compromising their beliefs. Sounds to me like something Jesus would do.
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I totally agree with your Dad! I want my neighbours and their children to know that we are friendly, approachable and generous. So we give out really good candy at out house along with some great ‘tracts’ for both young children and teenagers. We are ready and waiting.
Hooray for Mom and Dad! I always had good memories of halloween. It can only be a good thing to reach out to your neighbours. I’m sure Dad will construct something giant to hang over the garage if it’s anything like christmas….
I have good memories of Halloween too, mixed in with a couple of “Harvest Parties”. Dad made a freestanding 4 foot jack-o-lantern and I have to say, it’s pretty awesome.
Love it, love it, love it. What a wonderful article!
I really like this perspective (and I’m very glad to here it from my own dad!). Why throw out the baby with the bathwater, as it were? Halloween is about almost as much about fall and the natural transition of the seasons (earlier nightlight, the “death” of the plants), and how can we truly celebrate the arrival of spring without saying goodbye in the autumn? Plus, he’s totally right that giving treats to neighborhood kids is definitely more Christ-like than not (although may I humbly suggest Fair-trade treats?).
I know what you mean about vacillating up and down about this holiday. I have done it many times over the years. Some years I gave out tracts and a treat. Some years I ignored it altogether. One year I went to a Halloween replacement party that ended up being close to a Halloween party. I felt that it really wasn’t distinct enough to be considered different.
I think that as our culture becomes more drawn to pagan customs it will be harder to distinguish between pagan and Christian practices, unless there is a turn around. It will be harder to protect our children from the false, unless we take a stand. If there is a way to get to know the neighbours and not cave into the culture on this holiday, it would be great! I don’t think it is possible. All of the traditions are rooted in paganism.
Would some group like to create an entirely new holiday on a different weekend because they desire public venues in which to celebrate the Lord? What about Kindness Day? I desire that the message of salvation would spread like a wildfire among our children and youth. Is there any group willing to start a new holiday that will be for the glory of the Lord? Others groups have theirs. We could attract the world by the beauty of this day. I would be interested to hear from anyone to begin to develop it.
One recent year, I think it was 2008, just before Halloween, I happened to notice an article in our Co-op Common Room on the front page of The Georgia Straight, a magazine I don’t normally pick up. You might say, “Consider the source.” True, so yes do, but this may be a reflection of what most of our society thinks about Halloween. I hope not, but this may be where we are headed if we aren’t there already. How will we stem the flow if we participate? It may be a night to actively witness and warn people, but who would receive our warnings on that night. It would spoil their fun.
I’ll quote what I copied and see what you think: “Mainstream society is making an effort to capture the essence of gay Halloween. East Vancouver’s Parade of Lost Souls is a procession of men, women and children wearing colourful costumes and making lost of noise to ward off the negative energy and evil spirits before All Saints Day arrives on November 1st. So to all you lost souls out there and those feeling constrained by society’s morals, my Halloween message is simple. Take a look in the mirror, inhale and exhale, attend a gay Halloween event or two, participate in the Parade of Lost Souls and just let yourself go. Listen to your spirit, it will never fail you. It’s a place where you will find community, acceptance respect and love. Halloween is a night when our expressive nature sends a clear message that goodness and love trump all evil. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Goodness triumphant over evil? Halloween on everyone! ….On this incredible night hedonism reigns supreme… I’ve had my closeted transgender individuals breathlessly whisper in my ear that this is the night they have chosen to first venture out in public. …Halloween to the gay community is like Holy Grail to Christianity…Gay Halloween has it all. It’s a showcase of how our lost souls are no longer lost” Jamie Lee Hamilton (2008?).
I came across those quotes lately after I had written a message for my website on the paganism around us, including the idea that we should re-think Halloween. Check out my article at http://www.equipper.ca/message.php and tell me what you think.
Thanks for this article and your father’s insights. I think this will be a good “no tricks, just treats” night.
One of my neighbors made candy bags and attached a bible verse to the front of each bag, last year. This was an example of spreading the gospel on halloween. Love this idea!!
I’m still very mixed about Halloween- some times I think, okay, it is cute and dressing up nice is fun and neighbourly. But then I see homes decorated with severed body parts, and creepy monsters and think- “why would I want to expose my young children to this?” We are friends with our immediate neighbours and throughout the year share our baking and treats with the children. We have an annual egg hunt and this summer we had a neighbourhood corn roast. To me, those are the times to love and witness to my neighbours, not in the 2 minutes that Junior Freddie Krueger comes to the door. We have also handed out treats in advance of Halloween to our close neighbours, in an effort to be friendly and neighbourly. This year we are taking our kids to Chuck E Cheese on the 31st and they are very excited. Still, I am somewhat torn on what the “right” thing to do is…
You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars.
It is good to use the Bible to inform our decisions that we make about these issues. I appreciate you reminding us Julie about the warnings given to the children of Israel when they came into the Promised Land. The land had been filled for over 400 years with the worship of false gods and it would be tempting to pay homage to those regional gods. God’s stern warning to get rid of any vestige of that idol worship was part of His plan to cleanse the land of its connection to that evil and protect His people from being seduced into worship of idols. This is a valid warning when it comes to Halloween. While not everyone who participates in Halloween is an occult follower there is much in the history of the celebration that is evil. Guarding ourselves from that kind of evil is a good thing. Not showing our support of that evil also can be an effective way to show that as a follower of Jesus there is a different standard for your life.
At the same time I think Paul’s words to the Corinthian church are applicable here, “To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” (1Corinthians 9:20-23) It sounds like Claire’s parents have come to their position for the sake of the Gospel. I would imagine it was not a decision that was made flippantly but rather with much prayer and scripture searching. It sounds like they are aware of the dangers but have felt God calling them to move forward in love for their neighbourhood.
Each one of us as followers of Christ need to wrestle through these kinds of issues with the Spirit leading and guiding us. When we dialogue like this God is able to help us better understand His direction for us. Some of us He may call to participate in Halloween festivities, but others are called to remain separate. We must not condemn each other because God has led us differently but we should pray for each other, love one another and remain firm on how God has led us.
“For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.” (1Corinthians 10:29-33)