Halloween and Christians: Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

There is much debate in the Christian community about Halloween. Some celebrate Halloween, others avoid it like the plague.

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays for kids. Kids will plan their Halloween costumes months in advance.

But many think Halloween is demonic and evil. Is it? Many wonder if Christians should celebrate Halloween. The answer is that it depends on how they celebrate Halloween.

Most of the objections to Halloween are its pagan origins. But Halloween is not the only holiday that has pagan origins and traditions.

Both Easter and Christmas were originally pagan celebrations that early Christians appropriated. There are traditions and symbols involved that originated with other religions.

For example, the eggs and bunnies which are part of our Easter celebrations are symbols of fertility gods and goddesses in mystery religions.

Does that mean that we need to revamp all of our holidays and traditions and create new ones free of any pagan influences? No because the way we celebrate the holidays today has nothing to do with the origins of the holidays.

Christians aren't worshiping other gods when they hide Easter eggs. There is new meaning applied to the old traditions so they are basically rewritten to be something completely different.

Halloween also has new meaning today than the meaning it had at its beginning. In the beginning it was essentially a harvest festival, not anything to do with devil worship or evil.

So though it started as a pagan festival, that is not what it is today (for most people anyway).

Today, Halloween is a fun day to dress up in costumes, eat treats, and get a bit spooky. Kids trick or treat down neighborhood streets. There are dress up parties, fall festivals, and decorations.

Though there are people who do practice pagan religions today, Halloween isn't "evil." And the people who practice witchcraft have rituals all year long. Halloween isn't the only time of year that rituals take place.

In general, Halloween is one holiday that really doesn't have religious connotations for most people. But the day can be an opportunity for religion.

What many Christians fail to see is that Halloween is a golden teaching opportunity and a perfect chance to witness to others.

It is a great time to talk to kids about real good and real evil. Teach kids about what happens to people when they die. Talk about the bad creatures that roam the earth and who has power over them. Tell kids about ghosts and spirits and the Holy Ghost.

It is a time of year when the supernatural seems much more real, so take advantage of that and teach your kids about Christianity and real miracles and share your faith with others as well.

We are called to be out in the world sharing our faith not hiding from shadows.

The spirit of Halloween is really about community and sharing. Kids are encouraged to visit the neighbors and get together. It is a time of fellowship and sharing what you have with others. Aren't those ideas in line with Christianity?

Host church events like fall festivals and parties or pass out candy. invite the public and introduce people to your faith.

If aspects of the holiday worry you, avoid them. For instance, don't put up witch decorations.

And if you are still worried, find other ways to celebrate like trunk or treat, fall festivals, or corn mazes.

Halloween is what you make it. It can be a time to get a fun scare and remember that there are supernatural forces in the world. Or you can look at it as a time to celebrate fall. But most importantly, it shouldn't be a day to be afraid of. Find a new Halloween tradition that you can feel good about and make a positive experience out of a holiday that has been regarded with suspicion.