Halloween

Its that time of year again where the shops try and sell us the idea of a fun Halloween, where people have parties and kids are begging at the door for sweeties. 

When I was younger,  Halloween seemed fun and sometimes we did a Halloween night with our family and sometimes we didn't. If we did, we'd dress up, play little games and drink green lemonade.  It certainly wasn't as commercialised as it is today, and if we didn't do it, we weren't really missing out on anything.  We were never allowed to go trick or treating and we heard awful reports of those who did, ie when they (property owner) didn't give a treat, they'd have awful things happen to their property.

Now I'm a christian and an adult, I don't celebrate it nor do i encourage my children too.  Trick or treaters are met with a friendly - no thank-you or we tend not to answer the door.  Party invitations are RSVP no thank-you.

My husband and I discussed Halloween and we decided not to celebrate it purely because we are Christians, so why would we partake in it? We don't celebrate any other religions festivals so why would we celebrate or feel we should join in with this pagan one?  The bible says to stay away from all witchcraft, this is what we intend to do.  We don't go round preaching to others that they are wrong to celebrate it because if they have never heard the gospel, then stopping them from having fun does not really portray the message of Gods grace and goodness.  Of course if they ask, then we will explain and have the chance to share the gospel with them willing to listen.

We researched what Halloween was, how it was a celebration of new year for pagans and how it has changed over the years.  We saw no benefit in being a part of this.  This is why;

• We don't want our children dressing up as devils/ghouls spirits etc.  We want to bring them up to know that they are real and not to soften their hearts towards them.  By soften their hearts, I mean we don't want them to think of them as harmless fun.  We don't want them to go the other way and be scared of them, as Jesus is in authority over all.
• We do not want our children to be a nuisance to our neighbours and to encourage them to beg for sweets or suffer a consequence (trick).  Trick or treaters normally come when I'm making the kids dinner, tidying up or putting them to bed.  It is a nuisance when I have to stop to answer the door.
• We also feel it is not safe for them to go knocking on strangers doors, in a group or not. 
• We don't want them to accept sweets from strangers.
• We don't want to bow down to commercialism.  This was not a normal part of our culture.  The shops sell the idea, people sign up and then children are often disappointed that no one answers the door or its the same group of children knocking on your door for more sweeties.
• We don't want to encourage greed, we don't want them to think its ok to let go of your values for sweeties.
• We want them to be proud of being a christian.  Rather than today's society of a mish mash culture, picking and choosing whatever they like, I want them to have strength to stand up say no and know who they are in Christ.  There will be many times when they will be pressured into joining in with the culture around them, this is a training opportunity.
• We have Christmas round the corner, which is a much better holiday!

Currently, our children are quite young and they don't feel they are missing out on anything.  We don't feel the need to do anything in replacement - we don't do alternative nights for other religion festivals.  We talk to them about Halloween and explain to them why we don't partake.  They are happy to accept this.  In the future, if this changes, then we will hold firm to our beliefs but meet them in grace and perhaps go to a light party or do something at home for them.