Re-Post: What to do with Halloween

I got the following email shortly after taking down my post on Halloween and putting up my retraction:

Jan, I wish you hadn't taken down the post. It was a good discussion. You presented a very commonly held, and not hateful view that probably many people agree with. It was mostly positive. I highlighted a few phrases which I thought were the pillars of your argument, to see if they held up.
Twas a good discussion...I think others might have posted as well. No rush, but you might consider reposting it and adding your "retraction" statement as a comment to clarify that you do not wish to look pious at all.

It was a good discussion and continues to be although the election and God's sovereignty has trumped my discussion on a day that has come and gone. Nonetheless, I want to post it for two reasons. Maybe three. One is that it will save me the time to send it out the people who want to read it. Two, it gives me something to link to if the need arises and three I really want to see what others think. As I teach my kids why we do what we do, I want to show them how to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This comes in the form of being convinced in our own hearts. So, here it is for the last time.

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the changing colors of the leaves that are in stark contrast to the evergreens that surround us. Fall leads us into Thanksgiving and onto Christmas. But first we must stagger through Halloween.

As a child, I remember this "holiday" as a day of dressing up as some innocent character and spending an evening at our church Harvest Party. No costumes could be ghoulish or gory and so if you stayed away from witches and monsters, it was okay. Nothing scary was allowed. One year I remember going trick-or-treating by way of shuttle courtesy of my mom as she drove to houses we knew. We then took our candy to the hospital, where my mom worked, and it was placed under x-ray making sure the morsels were safe to consume. Not sure if the exposure to radiology did any damage.

When I was about 12 or 13, our church at the time threw a Haunted House in the church!! We went through "cobwebs", stuck our hands in "eyeballs", and I saw my mom beheaded. It made such an impact on me that I ran out crying. It freaked me out. Talking to my mom about it today, she doesn't remember this. I will never forget.

When I attended a community college, I went out with two or three other friends one Halloween in attempts to get candy by going door-to-door but realized we were too old and figured sweets were only handed out to kids who had costumes. We didn't fit either one. Instead, we walked around the neighborhoods well after midnight and took pumpkins off doorsteps and dropped them on sidewalks. We thought we were being clever because there was a rock group in the mainstream at the time called The Smashing Pumpkins. We walked through a cemetery showing one another that we didn't think much of this night and even talked candidly about rituals that probably go on in cemeteries across the globe. Thankfully, we saw nothing but grey tombstones and heard nothing more than the crunching leaves under foot.

So, what's the point in all this? Well, the Lord has brought me on a journey as to how to deal with this day. The first Halloween after becoming a believer, I lived with my sister and her family. I was so adamant that her kids not go trick-or-treating but instead we would give out candy. My sis relented. I think she too was on a journey and wanted to truly honor the Lord. Problem is, it was done with such harshness and in my heart I was so judgmental to those who came to our door. It was like I had elevated myself above them by being on the inside of the door frame.

Later, after getting married and having a home of my own, Doug and I decided to hand out candy with tracts. We had some friends over and enjoyed their company very much. This was fine, I guess, but still there was something nagging inside me about the attitude I was harboring. Can God really be glorified in all of this? That was the year I heard about Reformation Day. More on that later.

In talking to others, I've found that there are a number of ways believers recognize this day. You know, make some fun memories for the kids. One family had a great reputation with their neighbors until Halloween came around. These well meaning believers went inside, turned off their lights and ate pizza with friends and then they were deemed "the weird neighbors." After that, they opened their home and entertained the neighbors with a chili feed. In Arizona, this was definitely doable. But the point is, they didn't stand at arms length but invited people into their home and celebrated fall/harvest and the changing of seasons (though this had to be done with synthetic leaves as you could imagine in the desert.) Another mom told me they don't let their kids go door-to-door to ask for things 364 days of the year, why do it on this day. This is coupled with the explanation that as Christians, they are to do all things that bring God glory. A good friend of mine who is a new believer said very simply, why would I want to celebrate a pagan holiday. Others I know of, allow their kids to dress up and participate at school where no scary things are allowed and have peace about that. Some allow their kids to gather candy but at the non-scary houses.

These last several years, Halloween has really come and gone and I haven't given much thought to it. We moved to the country where nobody comes to trick-or-treat and my kids haven't had a clue. Until now.Emily is now five and Lydia is three with Micah right behind them at 17 1/2 months. They are starting to pay attention. Times have changed where Halloween is anticipated, decorated for in the most elaborate ways and celebrated without much thought that it is a pagan holiday that celebrates wickedness.

The bible says, God purchased us by the blood of His Son to redeem us from all unrighteousness. Those who know God know that we were bought with a price and therefore serve Him. God loves us with a jealous kind of love. So, as I raise my kids to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul and mind, how can I compromise and allow them to be a part of a day that rejoices in evil?

So, when we go into the world and are greeted with a cherry Happy Halloween, I simply smile as if I'm saying, "Yes, I would love to come to tea", tell them very politely, "oh, we don't do Halloween." I have never received any negative remarks or downcast eyes. Even if I did, it wouldn't change the joy I have in my heart that I can show my children that there is no room for compromise. There are too many things already that get in our way and become idols that lure us away from loving God with all our hearts. Why complicate it with a day that celebrates the dead, wicked and anything evil? October 31st is a day in which we celebrate Reformation Day and I will post on this Friday. I'd like to hear from you. What are your thoughts about Halloween? I'd love to hear your journey of how the Lord convicted you to do what you do and please include scripture.
Posted by Janice at 12:50 PM Labels: About Me, Christian Living

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