To boo or not to boo—the Christian’s Halloween dilemma. We have three choices. We can receive, reject, or redeem Halloween. If you and your family choose to participate in Halloween on some level here are 10 dos and don’ts.

  1. Study the history of Halloween. The Christian festival of All Hallows Eve is where our current Halloween celebration originated. Note that All Saints Day follows Halloween (The celebration and remembrance of believers who have died during the year).
  2. Discuss the meaning of the words: Hallow and Eve (Holy Night).
  3. Take this opportunity to talk about some spiritual things with your teens. You may want to unpack the verse in 1 John 4:4 (He is in us is greater than he who is in the world.) Discuss what faith over fear looks like.
  4. Teach your kids the difference between superstition and faith or luck and God’s will.
  5. Talk with your family about how you can show God’s love to others at Halloween. Meet and greet your neighbors.
  6. There is nothing evil about candy, costumes, or trick or treating. Identify what costumes glorify God and those that may not. Choose to honor the Lord with good manners when giving and accepting treats and display desirable behaviors while going through the neighborhood.
  7. Consider attending an alternative celebration or host a fall neighborhood.
  8. Don’t assume all Christians are responding to Halloween the way in which your family has decided to.
  9. Don’t forget to pray about this. Ask God how he wants your family to respond to Halloween (receive it, reject it, or redeem it) Then discuss with your family why and how you will choose to participate in Halloween.

If celebrating Halloween puts you in conflict with your convictions, don’t do it. For those who do not feel spiritually compromised, celebrate in a way that honors God and loves people so you can be in the world but not of the world.

Halloween provides a unique opportunity to meet the neighbors and to have some thought provoking and faith stretching dialogue with your kids

And one last don’t:

Number 10. Don’t forget the flashlight!

Do not imitate what is evil but what is good.
3 John 11

This article  first featured  in the magazine MTL

For more information regarding Christians and Halloween you may find these additional articles helpful :
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?   (GotQuestions.org)

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? (Focus on the Family)

© LoriWildenberg. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Lori Wildenberg is a licensed parent and family educator, parent coach, and co-founder of 1Corinthians13 Parenting.com. She has written 6 books including Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Home; The Messy Life of Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections; and her most recent book, Messy Hope: Help Your Child Overcome Anxiety, Depression, or Suicidal Ideation. Contact Lori for your next event or for parent consulting or parent training courses. Lori can also be found mentoring over at the MOMS Together Group on Facebook.

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