Why Our Family Doesn't Celebrate Halloween

There are many schools of thought about the observance of Halloween by Christians.

Should we participate in the activities around us? Do we dress up and hand out candy? What about the harvest festivals hosted by local churches that are intended to offer an alternative?

Our family has made very deliberate, carefully considered decisions about the observance of Halloween. This is our personal decision and I am excited to share with you why our family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, but in no way do I think I should be deciding for your family. In all things we are to look to Christ to be our guide.

When it comes to any kind of celebration, not just Halloween, my husband and I study and search the Scriptures. Our desire is to glorify Christ above all else. After that we look at the positive and negative affect on our family and we pray. When it comes to Halloween, we didn’t have to look hard to find plenty of Biblical evidence that it is not something we should be involved in. (Ephesians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Not only are the the origins of the day grounded in evil but it is still considered a night for haunted houses and dark, ghoulish imagery. That is enough to convince us that we should stay clear of anything to do with it.

I heard someone say once, “Well there is nothing inherently wrong with candy or costumes.” That’s true. But shouldn’t the question be what is right about it? How is it glorifying to God? How much are we willing to sacrifice for a good time? Is this the best way to honor Christ?

Our family stays home on Halloween, turns off the porch light and spends the evening together. We talk about the world and how hard it is to live what you believe when it is so different from what most of the world does. We build up our children in preparation for their future. We each share what God is doing in our lives and it is a great time of reflection and praise. It’s not all serious stuff… we play games and just enjoy being together. The joy of it has become our own family tradition.

It’s a great time to read aloud cute seasonal booksto the little ones, like A Pumpkin Prayer by Amy Parker and Liz Curtis Higgs’ Pumpkin Patch Parable.

No matter what you decide for your family about Halloween, I want to encourage you to approach the decision with an open mind and heart to do what God is calling you to do without regard for what the rest of the world thinks. And if you make the same decision we have, be comforted in knowing that you are not alone.

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Your Turn

Finding an answer everyone will agree on may never happen, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all talk about our ideas. I’ve shared with you why our family doesn’t celebrate Halloween…would you consider sharing how your family feels about this?