I was raised in a Christian home, and yes, my family celebrated Halloween. So when my husband and I became parents for the first time (read more about our infertility journey), we decided we would celebrate with our kids. But since I’ve had a few people ask me about it, today I’m sharing why we believe it’s okay that Christians celebrate Halloween with their kids.
My memories of Halloween consist of dressing up in cute (mostly homemade) costumes, attending fun events at our church, and trick-or-treating with my cousins in one of our neighborhoods. It was a great time! In fact, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to this day.
So why do some believe it’s wrong that Christians celebrate Halloween?
I get it, I really do. I totally understand that Halloween was originally a pagan holiday where people thought they could communicate with the dead.
And many people today still believe that, leading them to practice witchcraft and satanic cult ceremonies. In our city, animal shelters won’t even adopt out black cats during the month of October, fearing prospective owners might have nefarious intentions for them.
So some argue that it’s wrong that Christians celebrate Halloween because they believe acknowledging and participating in the holiday means we condone what it originally stood for.
Why we’re okay with it
Obviously we don’t celebrate the occult or worship Satan. But Halloween is a fun tradition, and I believe a great opportunity for teaching your children. Obviously, you don’t want to scare them when they’re little, but as they get older, it opens the door for honest conversation about good and evil, and God and Satan.
We believe it’s important that our children grow up knowing that yes, evil does exist, but God is much bigger than all that. Unfortunately, the world we live in is full of all kinds of evil, and there’s no way we can completely shield our babies from it. But I believe as long as we are open and honest with our kids and share God’s love with them, it’s fine that we as Christians celebrate Halloween.
Dressing up in costumes
Obviously, Little Man is not old enough to pick his own costume, but when he is, we plan to set some ground rules. The general rule of thumb will be nothing satanic, demonic, scary, or otherwise inappropriate. Basically, would you be okay wearing that costume to hang out with Jesus?
We plan to strongly encourage dressing up like Bible characters: Noah, David, Joshua, etc. When we were kids, my mom made some super cool (and easy!) Bible character costumes for us, and we loved it! And as a bonus, it’s a great opportunity to review the Bible story!
Trick-or-treating
When Little Man is older, we do plan to take him trick-or-treating. Unfortunately, the days where kids could roam the neighborhoods knocking on doors alone are long gone. But honestly, as a parent, I look forward to making these memories with my son. There’s just something about being outdoors on a crisp fall night, walking together with other families, and (let’s be honest) getting candy.
Harvest festivals and Halloween alternatives
Growing up, our church always hosted a huge Halloween alternative. In fact, they still do, and we are taking Little Man to check it out! Many churches host fun, harvest-themed festivals and events where kids can come dressed up, play games, and get some of that candy. I love these types of events because they are a safe place for kids to have some good, clean fun on Halloween.
Many such events feature corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin carving, and more. If your church doesn’t have one, there’s bound to be another church nearby with a similar event. Most of them are open to the public; they want to provide a fun alternative for as many kids as possible.
Safety first
Now, there’s a lot of weird and potentially dangerous stuff that can happen on Halloween, so be vigilant. Always check their candy before they eat (or even unwrap) it. Keep little ones in your line of sight at all times, and make sure older kids know what to do if a stranger approaches them.
Little Man’s first Halloween
This year is my baby’s first Halloween! Since he’s too little for many of the festivities, we’re taking it easy while still having some fun with him. We’re dressing him up and heading out to the Halloween alternative at our church. They have food trucks, carnival games, bouncy houses, and lots of fun.
Then after Little Man goes to bed, my husband and I plan to watch Nightmare Before Christmas and enjoy some cider and cookies on the couch. Sounds fun, right? I’m excited about it. Who says Christians can’t have fun on Halloween?
So mama, don’t worry about what other people think. You and your husband should make the decision that you feel is best for your family. If you believe it’s alright that Christians celebrate Halloween, then by all means, go for it! Just make sure you build that firm foundation as your babies get older.
