My granddaughter loves Halloween. Maybe not as much as Christmas, but it is one of her favorite holidays. She plans months ahead what her costume is going to be and every year she celebrates with a Halloween party. This granddaughter is 25 years old! She is married and has a baby girl. This year her family will be dressing up as three bears–a grizzly, a polar bear and a little panda bear. Some might question whether a young married woman and mother should still be that enthused about Halloween. And others might wonder if she as a Christian should even be celebrating at all!

I grew up attending a small evangelical, Pentecostal church that was quite conservative. By conservative I mean there were a lot of things we were not supposed to do as Christians. My belief system included a list of things “we do not believe in.” We didn’t drink (not even wine), smoke, or swear. We didn’t believe in going to movies, dancing, or playing cards. We didn’t get our ears pierced and we definitely didn’t get tattoos! Modesty was the keyword for women. If you’re going to wear makeup or jewelry, keep it at a minimum. Don’t look like the world and don’t draw attention to yourself! I share this because, in spite of all these rules, the church I attended had no qualms about celebrating Halloween!

I remember one Halloween party in particular where the pastor, an older, white-haired and balding gentleman, came dressed as a woman. I remember it well, because my father, a deacon in the church, knowing it was the pastor, pretended to flirt with the “woman”! And as a child I frequently dressed up as a ghost (It’s an easy costume to make!), a hobo, or a scarecrow or even a witch! As a teen in the 60’s I had fun putting together hippie outfits and calling myself a “flower child” for a night. (That did not mean I used drugs or approved of their lifestyle!)

Perhaps the church I attended was an anomaly in its day, but from my experience it appears that churches in general are taking a stronger stance against Halloween. I understand the increased concern and reticence about celebrating Halloween. The world is a dangerous place, and witchcraft and Satanism are becoming not just tolerated, but acceptable. So churches now have “trunk or treat” nights, and harvest parties and warn against dressing up as ghosts, goblins, or anything gruesome. This is commendable. It provides a fun alternative.

There are, however, some people who believe that the church is wrong to even do this! I ran across this pronouncement on social media: A watered down ‘church version’ of Halloween is still Halloween! They went on to declare that the only right response to Halloween is to have absolutely nothing to do with it. They believe that giving any kind of credence to the holiday is paying homage to evil, witchcraft, and the Devil himself.

But we need to remember that Halloween actually has its roots as a Christian holiday. Historian Colin Garbarino states: Too often we…forget that Halloween, or ‘All Hallows’ Evening’ is actually only the prelude to another holiday, All Saints’ Day. This Christian holy day, which has its roots in late antiquity, honors all those who have reached heaven, and originally it was especially concerned with the martyrs. Many of our Halloween traditions (for example, trick or treating and wearing costumes) have grown out of the early Catholic church’s celebration of this holiday.

For many, Halloween is an innocent, fun and imaginative holiday. But we also do recognize that there is a dark and sinister side that encourages the hideous and the evil and actually does involve witchcraft and Satanism. In my research on this subject, I found this statement by the Catholic Study Fellowship: As Christians we should celebrate as followers of Christ. As we try to put Christ back in Christmas, we should try to put holiness back in All Hallow’s Eve. What a concept! I like to think that perhaps Christians could have such an effect on Halloween that even through this secular holiday they would influence the world for Christ!

I recently asked my granddaughter why she enjoyed Halloween so much. I personally think it’s because it’s an outlet for her creative imagination and quirky personality. I say quirky because she’s unique and funny, has her own sense of colorful style, and thinks bats are cute!

Here is her answer to my question: “I like Halloween because you get to be silly and dress up and you’re not alone in doing so. You can dress up to show what you’re entertained by or what you want to be or if you just think it looks cool or cute. You can be a princess or a dinosaur or Batman for a day! I also like it due to good memories. I remember the hayrides and harvest parties and the food and overall togetherness. Mom and Dad took the time to take my brother and me trick or treating. And even though it was dark out I wasn’t afraid because I held one of my parents’ hands and I knew what was coming up: a lighted porch and some sweets given out by a kind neighbor. At the end of the night we would enjoy some of the sweets and the company of Mom and Dad while eating chicken nuggets and watching a movie. As I get older that obviously has changed, but I like to share the same joy with other people while enjoying how silly or cute or cool we look in our costumes.”

I shared her delightful response with you, because there is no darkness or evil in her answer. Instead she describes a time of joy, togetherness, sharing, kindness, and even security and light in the dark.

When it comes to Halloween it is an individual decision how to celebrate or whether to celebrate it at all. As Christians this decision is based on our personal convictions. When my oldest daughter was a child, the elementary school she attended had two traditions they did every year for Halloween. They had a Halloween parade that families could attend and watch the kids march around the school in their costumes. The other Halloween activity was a spooky, haunted classroom. My husband and I allowed our daughter to be in the parade, but did not permit her to participate in the spooky room. Our decision was based on what we thought was best for her and on our own beliefs concerning Halloween.

Those who believe they should not observe Halloween in any way need to stay true to their convictions. For them, it would be wrong to do so. Hobby Lobby, a well-known Christian owned enterprise, refuses to sell Halloween decor, because it goes against their “religious beliefs”. They have taken a stand and have stayed true to their convictions. This is admirable! But there are others who do not have the same mindset. They feel a freedom to enjoy the holiday within a Christian context. And this is okay, too. We need to be considerate of one another and respect each other’s decision. (Romans 14) Consider the following two Scripture verses:

You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. [NOTE: The above verse is about personal convictions, NOT sin.] But if you have doubts…you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. –Romans 14:22, 23 (NLT) And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. —Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

To BOO! or not to BOO! is up to you.

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