Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

As we approach the time of year when kids and adults will swarm our neighborhood streets with colorful costumes, candy, and cries of ‘trick-or-treat,’ I feel it important to stress an important point for those of us who are believers. Christians should not, in any manner, participate in Halloween.

  There are some different perspectives which Christians take when it comes to Halloween. Many see it as okay. ‘It’s harmless.’ ‘We did it when we were kids.’ ‘Everyone does it.’ Well, just because ‘everyone does it,’ does not make it right!

  Halloween, in its first, primitive stages, has always been demonic; heavily influenced by paganism and the occult. Just a few traditional characteristics of this holiday from World Book should confirm that for us:

  “Many people carve jack-o’-lanterns out of pumpkins. Halloween parties for children feature fortunetelling, mock haunted houses…” (Halloween, 24a)

What’s so bad about that? Well, let’s briefly take a closer look at these traditions.

  World Book provides us with the history of jack-o’-lanterns:

  "The jack-o’-lantern originally represented spirits present in the dark, or souls released from Christian purgatory. According to an Irish legend, jack-o’-lanterns were named for a character named Jack, who could not enter heaven because he was a miserly, bad-tempered man. He could not enter hell either, because he had tricked the devil several times. As a result, Jack had to walk the earth forever with only a coal from hell to light his lantern." (Halloween, 24b)

Since the Scriptures tell us that “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27), there are no spirits of humans here on earth. However, we shouldn’t deny the validity of there being spirits present with jack-o’-lanterns: Satan and his evil spirits!

  And fortunetelling and haunted houses -even ‘fake’ ones-? Fortunetellers use many techniques by which they gain their messages. They may very well receive messages:from Satan and his minions! And haunted houses? The theory of a haunted house is chiefly that a ghost inhabits it. Once again, we return to the truth that all men die once, and then reap the eternal rewards for how they lived their life; their spirits are never present on earth again. But demonic spirits are ever-present on this earth!

  There are those Christians who realize the evil of all this, and do not participate in those specific things, but they still see nothing wrong with giving out candy. Many even make the noble attempt of sharing the Gospel at Halloween by passing out tracts along with candy. But, as the saying goes, “The ends do not justify the means” even when it comes to winning souls. Those who think it’s still okay can have a negative attitude towards those who don’t:

  "Given the fact that our paganized culture makes it impossible to protect the innocence of our kids for very long, how do we adapt? If we say a flat 'NO!' and hide in the back room at night, does the young mind get the right message?" (Should, 1)

  Well, if the child sees his or her parents not ‘adapting’ or conforming to the world [And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)] and not participating, in any manner, in a pagan holiday, then, yes, that mind is getting the right message!

  As Christians, we should “…have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11) Again: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians6: 14-17) This includes the ‘innocent’ and well-intended passing out of tracts with candy. Though we know Halloween is evil and that we should not be a part of it, how are others to know that, when they see us at our front doors with goodies? For all they know, we see no problem with anything in Halloween! This is setting a poor example for our kids and giving Jesus a bad name and Scripture tells us to: “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Thessalonians 5:22)

  Not only that, our ‘innocent’ action, though still well-intentioned, is not so ‘innocent’: it’s sin! Let’s say we hand a tract to ‘Freddie’ and wish him a blessed night. The Bible says: “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 John 1:11) In doing so, we are just as guilty of sin as he and his parents are in participating in Halloween, and they do so in ignorance. We have the access to the truth in the Bible, but the only knowledge of the truth that they may ever have is what they see in us! A big responsibility, and we don’t want to have sin in our lives, as believers and especially when we may be the only Bible someone has. When we sin, we give Satan a foothold in our lives. But we are to “Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27) We may think we’re being lights for Christ, but we’re actually letting soot darken our lamps.

  ‘But, if we leave the light off and the door closed to let people know we will not participate, won’t that appear cowardly?’ some ask. The author of the following quote seems to think so:

  "But what if you had a way to spoil Satan’s 'holyday' by making everyone in your neighborhood think about God for a few moments? Closing the door and turning off the porch light isn’t likely to do it. 'That’s just those ‘Christian’ spoil-sports at it again.' If we go hide, Satan wins." (Should, 2)

Well, for one thing, the silhouette of you at your open door with a basket of goodies gives no better a message to the observer than your closed door! And, pardon me, but how can Satan win? He has already lost! He was defeated 2,000 years ago, at Calvary, when Jesus said “…It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30), and then rose from the dead three days later, conquering sin and death -and their master- for all time!

  So, this October, as the trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoods come out in full force, we must remember that Christians should not, in any manner, participate in Halloween, whether it be with jack-o’-lanterns and haunted houses, or tracts and candy. Leave the porch light off, but never stop letting your Light shine!

“Halloween.” World Book. 2013

“Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?” Battle Cry. Ontario, CA: Chick Publications, 2018. -pp. 1-2