Why I Celebrate Halloween

[Carson]

Hi friends,

I know that for many of my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is inconceivable how any disciple of Jesus could celebrate Halloween.

Its associations with darkness and the supernatural often raise concerns among Christians because we don’t want to participate in activities that dishonor God.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Stay away from every kind of evil.”

Ephesians 5:11-12 reads, “Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.”

1 Corinthians 10:21-22 teaches us, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?”

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 tells us, “Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?”

These passages make it clear that we are to avoid evil and the works of darkness. However, when considering Halloween, I believe there’s another aspect we should consider.

Why do I still celebrate Halloween? And what do I mean by that?

First, I try (but often fail) to read the Bible the way Jesus taught me. He explained:

He said to [the expert in the law], “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands" (Matthew 22:37-40).

So, as I think about whether or not I will participate in Halloween, I ask a simple question:

What does it look like to love my neighbor as myself?

By no means can I celebrate evil with them.

But I can build relationships with them, even though neither they nor I are perfect. Jesus’ command to love our neighbors compels me to engage with them positively, seeking opportunities to build relationships and share candy with their kids.

As I’ve talked to my neighbors on Halloween for the past ten years, I have yet to meet a single one who was interested in worshipping demons, practicing witchcraft, or harming anyone at all.

As far as I can tell, all of them wanted to catch up with each other, have fun, and share candy with the kids. That’s it.

It’s the one time of the year that the kids in our neighborhood come to our front door to ask if we will give them something they really, really want: candy.

It’s hard to see how telling them, “Sorry, I don’t want to give you anything, please go away” would reflect a love for my literal neighbors.

Here’s my heart: By participating in Halloween, I am asking God to help me love others as he has loved me. It’s a simple as welcoming my neighbors to visit our home and seeing kids smile as I give them candy.

So, as best I can tell, I’m not celebrating evil but building friendships and showing hospitality.

I understand that Halloween has roots in pagan traditions and that some practices may not align with Christian values. So, there are lines I won’t cross!

For instance, if I were invited to participate in a pagan worship ceremony, I would have to decline.

But in my neighborhood, I don’t see any evidence that people are celebrating Satan. Instead, the evening has a wholesome, generous, hospitable feel.

And that’s why I celebrate Halloween.

What about you?

What Scriptures guide your perspective?

Where do you draw the line?

Are there unique ways you practice hospitality on Halloween?

[lakshmi (Lakshmi Mehta)]

Hi @Carson,

Thank you for initiating this conversation. I never really considered the implications of celebrating Halloween until I moved to the United States as a student. Many students like me from India, who weren’t raised with Halloween traditions, began attending Halloween parties, drawn in by the festive decorations, spooky music and food—seeking a sense of community and a way to blend into American culture. As a young Christian at the time, I hadn’t thought deeply about it, but I still chose to avoid these gatherings for other reasons, such as the presence of alcohol.

Since becoming a parent, our family has evolved in our approach to Halloween. Initially, we were open to it due to a lack of information. However, as we learned about its pagan origins, we moved to avoid the “trick or treat” tradition altogether. Now, we see Halloween as an opportunity to share the love of Christ through relationship-building activities like our church’s fall fest, pumpkin carving with Christian/non-spooky symbolism, and trick-or-treating in non-ghoulish costumes. We also try to give out a Christian tract along with candy to the children who come to our door.

While we have dressed our kids as Christian or superhero characters, I still find it troubling that “trick or treating” has roots in Celtic superstitious practices, such as wearing masks to ward off malevolent spirits or the church’s observance of All Souls’ Day, established by Pope Gregory I. This custom involved going door-to-door, asking for prayers for departed souls in exchange for treats like ale, cakes, and apples. Since these practices are not grounded in the Bible—at least from a Protestant perspective—I struggle to find a clear rationale for the tradition of “trick or treat” as a Christian for our family.

To me, celebrating a festival as a family is about honoring a special person or event that deserves commemoration across generations. What I can truly celebrate on Halloween is Reformation Day, which marks the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. This day represents the unmerited grace we receive through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we can use it as an opportunity to remember this historic event through themed food, games, costumes, and movies.

That said, I believe it’s important to respect the intentions of our neighbors, especially when their celebrations do not glorify evil. As you said,

@Carson

As I’ve talked to my neighbors on Halloween for the past ten years, I have yet to meet a single one who was interested in worshipping demons, practicing witchcraft, or harming anyone at all.

As far as I can tell, all of them wanted to catch up with each other, have fun, and share candy with the kids. That’s it.

I can see where you are coming from. Choosing to participate in Halloween is one way of making the best of the cultural situation we find ourselves in. Just as I appreciate when my Hindu friends share Diwali sweets with me, I am grateful when someone drops off a “You’ve been booed!” Halloween bag. While my family may not actively celebrate Halloween, we feel it is perfectly acceptable to engage in the festivities as a way to communicate love to our neighbors without crossing certain lines. Whether it’s the message our costumes communicate or the involvement in specific activities that are clearly prohibited in the bible. These lines may be slightly different from one person to another, but what is important is that we feel in our hearts that we are honoring God and honoring the kind intentions of our neighbors. The principles laid in Romans 14 have been the most helpful to me in coming to my current position, especially Rom 14:13 and Rom 14:19.

[Carson]

@lakshmi

Thank you for initiating this conversation.

Hi @lakshmi, thank you for your thoughtful response. It is challenging and stimulating.

@lakshmi

Since becoming a parent, our family has evolved in our approach to Halloween. Initially, we were open to it due to a lack of information. However, as we learned about its pagan origins, we moved to avoid the “trick or treat” tradition altogether. Now, we see Halloween as an opportunity to share the love of Christ through relationship-building activities like our church’s fall fest, pumpkin carving with Christian/non-spooky symbolism, and trick-or-treating in non-ghoulish costumes.

It’s so encouraging to hear how you’ve navigated this cultural tradition. I respect your conscientious concerns, but still, you’ve found ways to build relationships and show sincere love to others.

@lakshmi

We also try to give out a Christian tract along with candy to the children who come to our door.

That’s so interesting! Have you seen any positive responses to the tracts?

@lakshmi

While we have dressed our kids as Christian or superhero characters, I still find it troubling that “trick or treating” has roots in Celtic superstitious practices, such as wearing masks to ward off malevolent spirits or the church’s observance of All Souls’ Day, established by Pope Gregory I. This custom involved going door-to-door, asking for prayers for departed souls in exchange for treats like ale, cakes, and apples. Since these practices are not grounded in the Bible—at least from a Protestant perspective—I struggle to find a clear rationale for the tradition of “trick or treat” as a Christian for our family.

I wasn’t aware of all these historical connections, so, thank you.

I suppose I find the idea of “pagan origins” to be a concept I want to explore further.

Historically, the origins are there. But I wonder if we need to go back a bit further?

If we go back all the way to Creation, the idea of God giving us treats is there in the Garden. He fills it with everything pleasing to the eye. I’m not sure there were M&Ms, but maybe that had to wait for heaven.

However, the idea of giving people a trick if they don’t give you a treat - ok, I can see leaving that out.

I find this to be a way of thinking derived from 1 Corinthians 8:4-6,

About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.

In other words, I reject the idea that pagans can claim a part of God’s creation and maintain spiritual authority over it - especially for generations to come.

But, I understand that we are conditioned by different upbringings.

I wholeheartedly respect any conscientious objections to participation in ceremonies with these origins.

It’s just that, for me, I find fulfillment in reclaiming God’s Creation. For instance, I love to put out inflatable pumpkins in our yard. They are cheery, happy, and communicate to our neighbors: we’d love to see you! I think it honors Christ to use pumpkins to communicate joy and hospitality.

That is, even if pagans carved vegetables to ward off evil spirits, and this led to pumpkin carving when their descendants came to America, I don’t think that’s the true meaning of a pumpkin. I believe God had a better idea for them. Is it joy and hospitality? Maybe?

That said, I find this inspiring:

To me, celebrating a festival as a family is about honoring a special person or event that deserves commemoration across generations. What I can truly celebrate on Halloween is Reformation Day, which marks the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. This day represents the unmerited grace we receive through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we can use it as an opportunity to remember this historic event through themed food, games, costumes, and movies.

At the same time, when I think of Martin Luther, I’m encouraged by his work to start the Reformation. But I struggle to celebrate him because of how he viewed women and Jews. (Here are some links to his quotes on women and on Jews).

@lakshmi

I can see where you are coming from. Choosing to participate in Halloween is one way of making the best of the cultural situation we find ourselves in. Just as I appreciate when my Hindu friends share Diwali sweets with me, I am grateful when someone drops off a “You’ve been booed!” Halloween bag. While my family may not actively celebrate Halloween, we feel it is perfectly acceptable to engage in the festivities as a way to communicate love to our neighbors without crossing certain lines.

I appreciate how we can value each other in our different ways of seeking to honor Christ. Our lines are a bit different, but we both sincerely want to love God and our neighbors.

I’m so thankful for your empathy, wisdom, and encouragement.

[lakshmi (Lakshmi Mehta)]

Hi @Carson,

Thank you for your thoughtful response and kind comments. It have given me much to consider.

I agree it is challenging to celebrate Martin Luther, given his views on women and Jews. I was unaware of his positions until now, and this knowledge will certainly influence how we observe Reformation Day. Thanks for sharing it. We can acknowledge the positive outcomes of the Reformation, such as a deeper understanding of God’s grace and increased access to the Bible for average churchgoers. However, we must also engage in an honest and nuanced discussion about the negative aspects. Martin Luther’s divisive views highlight the need for humility and discernment within our faith. Just because someone is right about one issue does not mean we should follow them blindly in all matters; sometimes, and that “someone” could even be ourselves!

I hope I am able to humbly approach our differing perspectives.

@Carson

In other words, I reject the idea that pagans can claim a part of God’s creation and maintain spiritual authority over it - especially for generations to come

I completely agree. Recently, our church had a beautiful illustration comparing us to pumpkins in God’s hands, emphasizing how Jesus chooses, cleanses, shapes, and fills us with His light. I also liked your idea of uplifting the neighborhood with a large inflatable pumpkin as a way to celebrate God’s creation. If it is biblically acceptable to set aside a day for costumes, treats, and fun—out of love for God, our neighbors, and His creation—then celebrating that way on Halloween is also fine. However, I sometimes feel uneasy when I see homes decorated like graveyards, as those images evoke a sense of evil rather than reverence for God.

Regarding my experience giving out tracts with candy, I’ve created my own since I haven’t found suitable pre-made ones. No one has expressed offense, and we haven’t lost any friends as a result! As a child, I was drawn to Jesus through a Bible verse, so I believe there may be someone who will be touched by reading a Bible verse just when they need it.

My perspective on Halloween may be influenced by my upbringing in Hinduism, where festivals were about honoring different gods and included unique celebrations. For example, Diwali featured fireworks, rangoli designs, and the lighting of lamps; Holi involved playing with colors and celebrating the arrival of spring; Shankranthi involved setting up steps with toys depicting stories of gods or secular themes, Dassera included group dances, and there was always sharing of special foods unique to each festival. After becoming a Christian, I chose to forgo those festivities, though I missed the community and fun, because of a conviction that my external conduct needed to reflect my internal commitment.

Now, with Halloween celebrated in diverse ways, there are ways to partcipate while remaining true to our inner convictions. One way we have celebrated that I didn’t mention before is by thanking God for the saints and martyrs who came before us, somewhat similar to the original intentions of the catholic church. If you’re interested in the history of Halloween, here’s a link that might refresh your memory: History of Halloween.

Sometimes it seems I am overthinking the issue, when there are so many other ways I can grow in honoring God and others. But I hope sharing my journey will help others who are asking similar questions like I have.