My aunt's church used to be the same way. They would go on and on about how evil Halloween was, but they would have a Hallelujah Party on October 31 every year, complete with costumes, carnival games, and candy. Since they played Christian music in the background, they didn't consider it Halloween. I disagree.
We are the same page. The only people to ever question my dh's and my decision not to celebrate Halloween were other Christians. Most people I knew who were not Christians didn't even expect us to celebrate Halloween. I never mention my stance on Halloween unless I am asked or it comes up like on this thread. I don't feel the need to make a Christian explain to me why they do celebrate Halloween but I sure have been asked why I don't a million times. lol
Our church does a fall festival on Halloween night but it is to give kids a safer option to being out on the streets getting candy from strangers. There is no dressing up and the students at the Christian school run out of our church host the booths.
We have always chose to take the "fun" parts of Halloween and celebrate that part. The kids aren't allowed to dress up in evil costumes, etc. We do carve pumpkins and go to the orchards. However, in reading this thread, maybe we shouldn't celebrate. I don't want to give any place to the devil...
My family didn't celebrate Halloween when I was growing up. I didn't miss it at all. Our church did have costume parties at different times of year. We did go out to dinner and a movie on that night, not to celebrate anything, just to avoid the incessant doorbell ringing. So, I completely understand not celebrating Halloween. If your children are looking for a Halloween alternative, what is it that they are really wanting? Candy? Costumes? Buy some candy when it goes on sale after Halloween... or have a kids costume part at some other time of year. I'm not a Christian now, and our family does celebrate Halloween (in a trick or treating way, not a pagan way), but I do think you should stick to your principles, whatever principles you have chosen to have in your life. What I don't understand is people who won't celebrate Halloween because it's a pagan holiday, yet have no trouble celebrating Christmas and Easter which are pagan holidays as well. Is it because they don't know they are pagan holidays and haven't read Jeremiah? Or is it because Halloween seems scarier?
When I was a kid, I went trick-or-treating. When dd was little, I took her trick-or-treating. When ds was little, I took him trick-or-treating - until he became a Christian at age 7. By then the Spirit had convicted us not to. So each year we went out to eat, just to avoid the crowd at the door... We did that for years. Just a few years ago, our church started having Fall Festivals, open to the public for free, with tons of candy, popcorn, even a hotdog and a drink, sometimes even roasting marshmallows and making s'mores, face painting (little designs on the cheeks, not like character makeup), bounce houses/slides, real horse/pony ride, games to play, contemporary Christian music blaring. Every attendee gets a bag of candy with tracts, in addition to "May God bless you" and "God bless and keep you" etc. The idea is 1) being a Christian doesn't mean you can't have fun; 2) Jesus loves you, yes, you, personally; 3) reclaiming the day/date for the Lord. We'd love to be able to lure them away from "celebrating Halliowe'en" to just celebrating life any old time. We don't turn them away if they come in costume, even gruesome ones, because if Jesus could touch the lepers we can put up with a mask or face paint and crazy get-up. To paraphrase the Marines, "Love 'em all and let God sort 'em out!" BTW, our town chooses what night is "trick or treat night" and the hours during which it can be done. Usually like 5:30 (still light out) to about 7:30 or 8pm. When October 31 falls on a Sunday, t'n't will be on Saturday. If it's on a Friday night (high school football night), then t'n't will be either Wednesday or Thursday, but it might even be on the previous Tuesday - the Baptists have prayer meeting and the Catholics have catechism classes on Wednesday, and town council meetings are on Thursdays....:roll:
Ours does, too. They have learned from experience that there is more trouble if Begger's Night is actually on the 31st, OR if it's on a Friday night. Usually it's on a Thursday, and the kids are really hyper that Friday at school.
Very good point. We don't celebrate Halloween or any other holidays for that reason. There are 365 days a year. Plenty of time to do really fun things with my daughter that don't compromise our faith. She gets presents and treats all year and never feels deprived.
I really enjoyed reading all of your posts and got some great insight. One thing I didn't mention in my original post was that our family are new Christians, so this is actually our first Halloween since we came to the Lord last December. We did celebrate Christmas last year with Santa Clause, but by the time Easter came, we had felt the conviction to sit down with the kids and explain the real meaning of the Holidays (as we celebrate them- Jesus' birth and Jesus' resurrection from the dead). My 7 year old (who was 6 at the time) was mad at us for "lying to them all those years." We also live in southern Lousiana and they celebrate Mardi Gras here for a whole week. We do not celebrate Mardi Gras anymore, and our family did not understand why, lol. I really liked the idea about the junk food night, and the costume party in another time during the year. When we explained about the significance of the holiday, they had no problem with not celebrating it, but I think that was all they were missing was the dressing up. If they knew that was going to happen another time, there would be no issues
Our church has a harvest festival. The festival is a safe alternative and outreach. As far as I am concerned, Christians are called to use every opportunity to share the message and Halloween is another opportunity. This isn't to say those who choose to stay home are wrong. We all have to walk the path God has for us. At every one of our church festivals, somebody comes to Christ or leaves wanting a visit from the pastor so they can learn more. Plus, the festivals are a blast!!!
My husband and another man are going to be passing out gospel tracts to families who are out trick-or-treating. We don't avoid being out at all costs because we know it is still a day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! But we do take every opportunity to witness, and what better time to reach lost families than when they are walking past you on the sidewalk every ten seconds.
We are christians and celebrate Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc. I love the Lord with all my heart but feel no conviction to stop celebrating and doing what we do. This year however we won't be able to trick or treat. We moved to the country so it looks like we will be hitting one of the church festivals with Grace. Samantha's dance team is having a Halloween party this year so she will have something to do. What I never understood is why people get so worked up about what other families do. (I am not saying anyone here did that!) I just mean that I celebrate, you don't, who cares. I had a neighbor that never celebrated and would not allow her children t oparticipate in anything related to the holiday and people always gave her a hard time. I hated that for her and tried to come to her defense. Funny thing now she and her family do celebrate Halloween. My husband and I asked her what changed and she said that the only reason she didn't celebrate was because she thought she wasn't suppose to but when her son asked her to tell him why they couldn't come up with a good answer and they really had no conviction against it so they began to celebrate it. These two people have a HUGE heart for the Lord. So like I said.....you do your thing, I do mine and let's live happliy without tearing others down.
I completely agree. With the heart attitude you are addressing it makes perfect sense. I am opposed to substituting as a means to make up for Halloween or because someone may feel they are left out. To me that is just the wrong attitude...it's like an excuse for carnality...IMO. The difference is always in the heart. This is why I don't say much about my Halloween views anymore as I cannot judge the intent of the heart. I know many of those at my church are making an excuse for carnality and many or sincerely using this time to reach the lost. I'll be honest...I am convicted against celebrating Halloween. I grew up celebrating it and loved it. I would try to find ways to "celebrate" it that did not conflict with my conviction. It was carnality driving me. So for me...it was best to just forger the whole thing. Now that I am more mature spiritually, I can see even this time as an avenue to reach others. What other time of year will you have droves of kids coming to you and you can actually hand them something without it seeming weird? lol. But because of the conflicts and my dh's convictions it is better for our family to stay clear of it. I have fairly strong feelings about it myself and finding a way to reconcile it all would be hard. But I see how you have your point of view and I respect it.
Amen! I do not address individuals about their opinions on Halloween. If you ask me my opinion I will share. I will not go out of my way to say, " you should not celebrate Halloween" However many go out of their way to get on me about NOT celebrating. Honestly, I believe those who want me to celebrate it know they are making an excuse for carnality and my conviction against it makes them feel guilty. I am talking about those who hound me on it and try to get me to change my conviction....not about those who just celebrate it and forget it...ya know.
I'll just post a few scriptures that should make it clear to Christians why this is not a "conviction" area.... 1Thesssalonians 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil." Galatians 5:19 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." De 18:9 "When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God." I don't think God could make it any clearer what He thinks about participation in anything with the appearance of evil, let alone a day satanists, witches (the real ones) and the like are reveling in. Abominations are not left up to conviction for us. They are an absolute. God hates these sins which He lists and has no tolerance for them. We don't participate in any kind of substitute activity. Our children know the truth about the celebrations going on all over the world during the month of October, which culminates on the 31st. They don't feel any more "left out" than they would by avoiding a seance or a human sacrifice. If you teach your kids they are being "left out" of activities, how many more concessions will they make in their walk with the Lord? The world doesn't like us, which we were told to expect and embrace.
And that really bothers me! Even though you and I have differnt opinions or even convictions on many things I have nothing but respect for you. I have the same respect for the neighbor I mentioned and it just really hurts me to see others pursecute them and you for what you and your family do/celebrate/whatever. I do understand what you are saying because I had a neighbor that hounded me about homeschooling and I honestly feel like he was just trying to justify his lack of parenting when he would make rude comments to me. Same thing with Halloween. If you are getting on to someone about something as trivial as Halloween (and I understand many do not think of it as trivial but those that are participating in it do) then you need to look within yourself. Ok not you! lol! The person doing it. You know what I mean. LOL!
Brooke...nice point! I would always say it was a conviction...but you are so right...thank you for your post. I used to point to many of the same scriptures as you did but still I was thinking "conviction" you are so right on. And I also agree with you about kids feeling like they are missing out...mine never feel that way and we don't substitute.
My youngest's birthday is also 10/29! We too, make that our party day since it's a valid reason. The kids get treats and don't feel like they're missing out on anything. Actually my kids think Nov 1 is the really special day. That's when we go to the store and buy the super discounted bags of candy! :lol:
I just read this last page (page 4) We don't celebrate Halloween either and I was wavering on whether or not to let the kids do it this year. I have always felt so strong about it, but just want my kids to be normal. Since we HS and don't do anything else normal, I just feel a tug to be normal some where. But thanks to Brooke, and your post on it not being a conviction I will stand my ground again. I am going to book mark those verses so that when my dc ask I can tell those to them as well. Thank you for the encouragement I needed.
