Christians : how do you feel about celebrating Halloween?

[Heather in MD]

Anyway, besides all of that, are we the only family that thinks the whole CANDY thing about Halloween is terribly unhealthy for the kids? We don't allow our kids to have candy (except for lollypops or special treats every now and then). The whole idea of allowing your kids to have bags of candy (types chosen by strangers) to eat as they please blows my mind. When our kids do have candy (which is not very often), I prefer it to be safe for their teeth (not super chewy/hard) and jaws (no bubble gum b/c we have histry of TMJ), as well as for their little precious bodies. A holiday centered around candy is one that we would choose to forgo even if there weren't questions about holiness tied in. Am I alone in my CANDY concern?

 

Just because we let them go trick-or-treating doesn't mean that we allow them to have all of the candy they receive, or eat it as they please. Before they eat any of it, MIL and I look through it and throw out anything that has been opened or looks even remotely suspicious. Then we get rid of all of the hard candies - jawbreakers, etc. Dh usually takes them to work because he likes them :) Then the kids pick out about 20 or so of their favorites. They eat a few on Halloween night, then their favorites get put in a jar at home and will last them until Christmas. The rest of the candy gets given away - the girls in my office love it when I bring in the Halloween leftovers!

 

Heather in MD

[Ritsumei]

We have some mixed feelings about it. I don't think that it's wrong to have fun or to be happy, and I have only happy memories about Halloween as a kid.

 

But the holiday is changing. You can't take your kids trick-or-treating anymore because there are too many kooks out there that want to hurt them. Costumes are more morbid than they used to be. Was it always about death like it is?? The costumes that are not morbid are increasingly suggestive, even for children. Our church holds an annual trunk-or-treat. We went to the party portion- games, face painting, a spook house. That was fun. But then comes the candy frenzy... the kids are good kids, but they forget everything they know about good manners when they start trick-or-treating. We skipped the candy frenzy.

 

I'm increasingly inclined to celebrate it at home, with a party that I throw. MUCH easier to regulate the atmosphere that way. It's not the holiday, exactly, that I object to. But the way that folks celebrate it around here is increasingly difficult to swallow.

[Natalieclare]

I think it's divisive and foolish that so many Christians isolate themselves from their neighbors by sequestering themselves at their "Fall Festivals" at church, instead of joining in the communal festivities. Don't tell me "We always invite everybody!", because that's facetious drivel. "Everybody" doesn't want to be stuck in a holier-than-thou church run by killjoys when they could be enjoying genuinely inclusive community fun.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

Side note:

 

Not all churches offering festivals of one type or another are preventing community fun. I live in a rural area where houses are fairly spread apart, neighborhoods are rare, and roads are dark and shoulderless. In my area, the churches are providing the inclusive community fun. :D

[Renai]

I think it's divisive and foolish that so many Christians isolate themselves from their neighbors by sequestering themselves at their "Fall Festivals" at church, instead of joining in the communal festivities. Don't tell me "We always invite everybody!", because that's facetious drivel. "Everybody" doesn't want to be stuck in a holier-than-thou church run by killjoys when they could be enjoying genuinely inclusive community fun.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

Side note:

 

Not all churches offering festivals of one type or another are preventing community fun. I live in a rural area where houses are fairly spread apart, neighborhoods are rare, and roads are dark and shoulderless. In my area, the churches are providing the inclusive community fun. :D

 

 

:iagree: Mostly, it's either the churches or the mall, and there's a pretty good mix at either.

[Elizabeth Conley]

[quote name=Natalieclare;1294967

Not all churches offering festivals of one type or another are preventing community fun. I live in a rural area where houses are fairly spread apart' date=' neighborhoods are rare, and roads are dark and shoulderless. In my area, the churches are providing the inclusive community fun. :D

 

That's a good thing, and understandable.

 

When I was a kid there were only 4-5 houses I could reach by foot, and it was quite a walk. That being said, each house only got about 6 trick-O-treaters each year. They invited us into the dining room and pressed amazing home-made goodies on us. Mom would warn us, "Be polite. Say thank-you. TAKE ONLY ONE!"

 

Dear old Mrs. Gravely, the most generous lady in the county, would always countermand this last order. She made sure you left with a buffet load, and even Mom was obliged to take a treat or two. (It wouldn't do to offend the old dear!)

 

Any way, I'm sure that way of life is not the universal modern rural experience.

[Kelli in TN]

 

I think it's divisive and foolish that so many Christians isolate themselves from their neighbors by sequestering themselves at their "Fall Festivals" at church, instead of joining in the communal festivities. Don't tell me "We always invite everybody!", because that's facetious drivel. "Everybody" doesn't want to be stuck in a holier-than-thou church run by killjoys when they could be enjoying genuinely inclusive community fun.

 

I disagree. I think those festivals fill a void for families who do not wish to celebrate Halloween and even those who do. Not every neighborhood is friendly and safe. And on years when Halloween is rainy and nasty, a church gymnasium may be just the place to have fun and show off the costume of the year. I really think the volunteers who devote HOURS to planning and prep for these events are probably doing it to bring joy, not kill it.

[Ellie]

We always did Halloween. I believe there's more victory in dressing up--who doesn't like to dress up??!!--and having lots of fun than in being all weirded out because some people make it into something evil. We didn't do scarey ghosty things, but pilgrims and pandas and hula dancers. My dds loved dressing up and they loved trick-or-treating. (The candy rule: they could eat as much candy as they wanted for 24 hours; after that, everything was tossed.)

 

But I would not argue with anyone who has a different opinion, because I understand the opposite POV.

[Kelli in TN]

The only picture we have of our kids in Halloween costumes is 19 years old. My oldest two kids were dressed up as clowns, complete with face paint. I remember my daughter, 2 at the time, had a pair of teal blue high top Chucks that I loved so much that I made her costume coordinate with those shoes.

 

After that year I began down a long path of confusion that led to a great deal of legalistic behavior. In the past couple of years I have began to come out of that fog and examine, one by one, every rule I had for myself and my children and my poor, long suffering husband. It was simply a matter of time before I would have to sit down and examine Halloween again.

 

This year we have decided to participate in our downtown association's festivities. We like that it is done during daylight hours and that it is very community based between businesses and our downtown churches. It feels right to me. I don't know if we'll do this every year, but I have a definite peace about this right now.

 

Just like I can have a Christmas tree (the one thing my husband would never let me eliminate during my long, strange journey) and just enjoy it as a decorated tree without losing what *I* am celebrating at Christmas, so can I let my children have this fun and know in my heart what I am celebrating and what I am not celebrating. God knows my heart.

[LittleIzumi]

We celebrate it like a birthday--as a fun, secular, cultural holiday. Just because it originated with Samhain hundreds of years ago (more, really) doesn't mean our "Halloween" actually has anything to do with welcoming spirits unless you choose to celebrate that way. We do not celebrate that part of its history (just like we celebrate the resurrection part of Easter, not the fertility rites :lol:). We celebrate as the cultural holiday it is NOW--the girls dress up and have fun with other kids who dress up, get limited amounts of candy, carve pumpkins, make caramel apples, etc. We went to the mall last couple of years, last year went around our neighborhood, and this year will be going to the children's museum where they have activities and a trick-or-treat in the galleries. Generally people aren't putting out food for spirits or scaring bad spirits away--they're participating in the secular holiday we have now, giving candy to cute little kids dressed as princesses or going to haunted houses to have a good laugh with friends. IME. :)

[Kelli in TN]

(we do not tell our kids it's Jesus' birthday).

 

Thank you! That grinds my gears every dang year. And when the church teachers bring out the cake and the kids dutifully sing Happy Birthday I want to stand on a chair and holler "Hey, y'all. Some researchers believe His birth was probably in the middle of the summer. So stop it, already." but that would be rude and embarrass my kids.

 

But at home I tell them, we are celebrating that He chose to be born even though we have no clue when He was born. We don't call it a birthday around here.

[coralloyd]

We do not celebrate Halloween. I understand others enjoying the festivities/fun of it. I personally do not consider candy and dressing up enough to redeem the holiday. Christmas and Easter are holidays that we celebrate Christ and make Him the focus. Even non-Christians are aware of the meaning of these holidays have for Christians. We don't just celebrate them for the fun of it (even though they are fun). I cannot find anything in the Halloween celebration that is worth the effort. On the contrary so much evil is celebated. My kids are scared by the decor in the stores. We don't let them watch scarry movies. Why would we celebrate somthing that is primarily characterized by evil and scarry things? It is a holiday that too many people take as an oportunity to do evil. Even the phrase trick-or-treat denotes "give what I want or I will play a trick on you". This is not something I want to teach my dc.

 

We celebrated Reformation Day. To us this is truly something to CELEBATE!!! The fact that it is on the same night is of no consequence to us. If it was on a different night we would stilll celebarte it, and do nothing on Oct. 31st.

[Elizabeth Conley]

In our community there are several elderly shut-ins who are absolutely over-the-moon when my kids visit them in costume. The other neighborhood kids practically shun these old dears, because somehow old age and infirmity are scarier than any Halloween decoration.

 

One old shut in gets so few visitors that the first year we visited he offered us a choice between a mini can of pork n' beans or an opened package of stale dollar tree breath mints. The kids graciously accepted a breath mint each, and the old gent was overjoyed. He's had something special for them every year since.

 

Seriously folks, don't be too quick to write off your communities. This is a chance to make new friends. Maybe your community isn't as awful as some imagine.

[fivetails]

I think you should talk to your church leaders if you're not happy. We're Christian and we celebrate Halloween as a cultural, secular holiday (carve pumpkins, dress up, go trick-or-treating, etc.). :)

 

 

Haven't read the whole thread ~ didn't really have to once I saw this, because it explains it for us as well. :)

[Tree House Academy]

The way I look at it is that I don't take the opportunity to worship Satan on Halloween just like I don't do so on any other day of the year. To me, ghosts, skulls, etc. are silly - not tools of the devil. I think it is all in the mindset of the person celebrating the day. We have fun on Halloween and get candy. We tell scary stories, make candied apples, and cook out with the family. Nothing satanic about the way we celebrate, so for us, it is a fun holiday...just not a religious one.

[Lovedtodeath]

 

:iagree: I gotta have a Mike's....this is probably one of the first times I've ever had to agree with asta:lol:

I was thinking the same thing. :lol: Getting scared here... agreeing with asta.;)

[Kelli in TN]

I used to be rabidly anti Halloween. We lived in San Diego and knew of street kids that went missing on that night (in Tijuana) to be found dead later and all. We knew people used that night for...well...evil. I even had a neighbor whose dd was in a coven, was taken out of that coven by her folks and each year, she would flip OUT on Hween- said "they were calling to her". She was upset when she saw babies, cause she saw things happen to babies, she said.

 

We used to turn off all the lights, hope no one came to our house, and watch movies and eat candy as a family - a family fun night. I just HATED Halloween! It was very stressful.

 

Fast forward many years....a few years back I invited some Christian friends (I am a conservative Christian) to visit a corn maze with us. By their response, you would've thought I asked them to come to a midnight bonfire where we will dance naked for Satan, kill kitties and then tattoo pentagrams on our butts.

 

It made me think how Christians react to this day, some - in such a knee-jerk way ( I had done it too). I started to wonder if I had been to others, like they were to me. I knew I would not be doing anything to "worship Satan", or glorify him - I was not interested in submerging my kids in death, spirits, the grave. The day - for most families - was just a fun time for the children, doing fun kid stuff, getting candy, being outside in the dark with all your buddies. Thats cool.

 

Long story short, while I know some people use this day for bad things, most of us use this day to have fun with our children. This is where my thinking is now.

 

For what its worth - this post is not directed at ANYONE. Just my story. God bless each of you and lets be safe out there! :grouphug:

 

Good post!

[Audrey]

Are they all though? I would see some of those parties as an activity for people who don't want to celebrate Halloween but want something else to do that night. I do agree that some of them are Halloween parties especially when the kids dress up. Our church had one a couple years ago but there were no costumes. It was all fall veggies, apple cider and bible crafts. I guess I didn't see that as a Halloween party but as an alternate event.

 

Maybe I saw it as a different event because we went trick or treating the next day, shhhh, don't tell my church :tongue_smilie:

 

 

I just want to note that the whole idea of a harvest party sounds far more pagan to this pagan than does a Halloween party. All the trappings of these "harvest parties" are very steeped in pagan symbolism and lore. I could go into full detail, but just google if you're truly interested. On the short note: Samhain is the celebration of the last harvest, and the end of the "light" part of the year (longer days). So the idea of churches celebrating harvest (in lieu of the more common and now very secularized Halloween) looks like a more pagan statement than I am sure they intended it to be.

[SquirrellyMama]

I just want to note that the whole idea of a harvest party sounds far more pagan to this pagan than does a Halloween party. All the trappings of these "harvest parties" are very steeped in pagan symbolism and lore. I could go into full detail, but just google if you're truly interested. On the short note: Samhain is the celebration of the last harvest, and the end of the "light" part of the year (longer days). So the idea of churches celebrating harvest (in lieu of the more common and now very secularized Halloween) looks like a more pagan statement than I am sure they intended it to be.

 

I guess it depends on what you are doing at your harvest party. We have lots of farms around here and it is harvest time. We played pumpkin bowling, drank apple cider and had a trivia contest. Not sure how pagan that is :001_smile:

 

Really, I don't care if people celebrate Halloween or Harvest parties. I don't think anyone is less Christian for doing it.

[asta]

I just want to note that the whole idea of a harvest party sounds far more pagan to this pagan than does a Halloween party. All the trappings of these "harvest parties" are very steeped in pagan symbolism and lore. I could go into full detail, but just google if you're truly interested. On the short note: Samhain is the celebration of the last harvest, and the end of the "light" part of the year (longer days). So the idea of churches celebrating harvest (in lieu of the more common and now very secularized Halloween) looks like a more pagan statement than I am sure they intended it to be.

 

I'm so glad you said it.

 

Have a great one Audrey - I have to get back to cleaning.

 

 

a

[ReneeK]

My family does not celebrate Halloween in any form at all because of the pagen roots. My kids play dress up all year long and get candy at least once or twice a week. So they don't think they are missing out on any fun because they get candy and play dress up often. We do have friends that do the whole Halloween thing and that is the choice they have made. We don't critize them in anyway but, if they do ask the kids or me why we don't celebrate we politely explain to them our reason for not doing Halloween. As far as having contact in our community they do all year long. We feel this is the best choice for our family and not having anything to do with Halloween.

[Elizabeth Conley]

I just want to note that the whole idea of a harvest party sounds far more pagan to this pagan than does a Halloween party. All the trappings of these "harvest parties" are very steeped in pagan symbolism and lore. I could go into full detail, but just google if you're truly interested. On the short note: Samhain is the celebration of the last harvest, and the end of the "light" part of the year (longer days). So the idea of churches celebrating harvest (in lieu of the more common and now very secularized Halloween) looks like a more pagan statement than I am sure they intended it to be.

 

Yepindoodles.

[SquirrellyMama]

Thank you! That grinds my gears every dang year. And when the church teachers bring out the cake and the kids dutifully sing Happy Birthday I want to stand on a chair and holler "Hey, y'all. Some researchers believe His birth was probably in the middle of the summer. So stop it, already." but that would be rude and embarrass my kids.

 

But at home I tell them, we are celebrating that He chose to be born even though we have no clue when He was born. We don't call it a birthday around here.

 

Do we have to know his exact birthday to celebrate it? We don't do the whole cake and sing happy birthday. I also tell my kids we don't know when he was actually born but we say we are celebrating because he was born. If it were important to know when he was born it would have been stated in the Bible.

 

What gets me is that Christmas is celebrated as a more important holiday than Resurrection Day (Easter). I think that day should be much more celebrated than Christmas. Not saying I've gotten there yet but it is my goal.

[Kathleen in VA]

We don't have anything to do with Halloween, and don't see anything beautiful or pretty or wonderful about it to celebrate (when considering the roots of it, and the decorations that go along with it present-day.)

 

I don't judge people who do, and have plenty of friends who go all out. It's definitely not for us, though.

 

:iagree:I agree with another pp who said it is a family decision. For me, I think of it terms of my relationship with Christ. He gave His life for me; He redeemed me from eternity in hell through the shedding of His precious blood on my behalf. He loved me and gave Himself for me. That love provokes a love for Him in return. Since the Bible says that I should have nothing to do with the occult or witchcraft (Deut. 18:10) and that I should abstain from all appearance of evil (I Thess. 5:22) and that everything I do should be done in faith (Rom. 14:23), I cannot, in good conscience, celebrate Halloween. It is not a legalistic thing for me (i.e., I must not celebrate or God will cross me off His list); it is a response of obedience to His word out of love and gratitude for His love for me.

 

I think that the focus on death - making it kind of a joke - is man's way of dealing with his fear of death and the unknown. I do not fear death - I know that because I have a Savior I have nothing to fear.

 

I realize that the holiday itself has many cultural traditions that can be understood as just having fun and enjoying the community. For me (I stress that two-word phrase), these are not good enough reasons to indulge in the celebration. I can find other ways of having a nice, cozy evening with my family. My children do not feel deprived (I've asked them); they understand that it is a debatable issue and one must do what one can in good conscience.

 

Also, I think, if Jesus were to come back at this moment (any moment where I am debating whether to do something questionable) would I be ashamed? This is a very personal decision that you have to work out in your own conscience after prayer and Bible study. I would just rather be confident that I was not doing anything wrong than wonder if I may be doing something He would not be pleased with. That's very personal, ime, and can only be determined by each individual in his own heart and mind.

 

If you are feeling conflicted about it, it would be better not to celebrate until you have fully determined your mind one way or the other.

 

We do offer the neighbor children candy. They are our friends and I do not feel I must turn them away or pretend I'm not home. They all know where we stand and do not press my children about why they aren't out trick-or-treating or dressing up in costumes.

[Word Nerd]

Pagans don't own exclusive rights to utilize pumpkins, apples, and other fall icons or to celebrate the harvest. Those things aren't any more pagan than they are Christian. Any symbolism and meaning they have comes from the person ascribing it to them.

[DB in NJ]

I grew up in a liberal (theologically) Catholic home. We dressed up every year and enjoyed all the free candy.

 

I'm now a conservative Christian, and my kids dress up every year and enjoy the free candy.

 

It's about the heart, isn't it? My kids' hearts are not worshiping false gods, nor are they being drawn to dark, cult-like behavior by going out trick-or-treating. We carve pumpkins, hand out candy, go trick-or-treating, talk to neighbors, and have fun eating all the yummy candy.

 

As for all of that candy and its lack of nutritional value, I say: lighten up! :D It's once a year. We indulge on vacation, birthdays, and holidays. I don't find it mind-blowing at all that we allow our children to collect and eat this candy (after we've inspected it, of course). I find it a part of a well-balanced childhood. :)

[momtoboys]

Someone mentioned "would you be ashamed if Jesus came back and you were celebrating Halloween (or fill in the blank with whatever activity). . ."

 

Not to get off on a rabbit trail, but i've always hated it when preachers use that illustration. . .

 

1. Jesus sees me all the time, so i should be just as ashamed all the time, if I am really doing something I know is wrong.

 

2. Jesus has forgiven my sin, past, present and future. So, therefore, even when He comes back, my sin is still as far as the east is from the west. I think sometimes Christians get this mistaken idea that all our sins will be flashed up on this big screen in heaven or something. . .Not true at all!

 

Anyway, sorry for the rabbit trail. . .but. . .

 

Back to Halloween, I really think it's between each individual person and God. . I see it as a Christian liberty issue. :)

[sheryl]

I went today to a baptist church "Fall Festival" . The organizers were wearing costumes , masks , t-shirts with "Happy Halloween" . Some of the games had skulls and other Halloween stuff. I didn't have peace anymore. I was wondering what was God thinking about all this adopted celebration of Halloween . I couldn't say it was a "Fall Festival" . Even my 6 yo kid asked why do we celebrate Halloween as Christians ...

Are we the only ones feeling that way ? Where is our Church going ???

 

 

I posted this last year. We don't celebrate Halloween. What's the point? I know, I know...some Christians do. I don't think believers lose salvation because they practice it, but I also don't think it's honoring to God to celebrate dead people. We are to live sanctified lives. To be in the world and not of it.

 

People celebrate for cultural reasons....why would believers even "want" to?

[Nakia]

Here's why we do it:

 

Because to us, it is innocent and fun! We are not celebrating Satan or evil. We are having a good time. We have been baking Halloween treats for two days, we have been practicing our Halloween make-up for tonight all week, we are so excited!! We've also read our bible and prayed every day this week and every other week. It has nothing to do with our salvation!! I am not trying to single any one poster out, but I get so tired of being judged for every thing I do because I am a Christian. I love Jesus so much, and I can celebrate today and everyday because He lived and died for me!! We will dress up tonight, and have a Christmas tree in a month or so, and go visit Santa this year like we always do. My kids know it's all about pretend and that's fine. They know the real reason for Christmas and our life is JESUS!!

 

I guess I feel bitter because I have a tattoo, enjoy a margarita every now and then, read Harry Potter, and celebrate Halloween and that is not Christian enough for some people...

 

 

Ok, off my soapbox now...

Edited October 31, 2009 by Nakia

[i.love.lucy]

:iagree:I agree with another pp who said it is a family decision. For me, I think of it terms of my relationship with Christ. He gave His life for me; He redeemed me from eternity in hell through the shedding of His precious blood on my behalf. He loved me and gave Himself for me. That love provokes a love for Him in return. Since the Bible says that I should have nothing to do with the occult or witchcraft (Deut. 18:10) and that I should abstain from all appearance of evil (I Thess. 5:22) and that everything I do should be done in faith (Rom. 14:23), I cannot, in good conscience, celebrate Halloween. It is not a legalistic thing for me (i.e., I must not celebrate or God will cross me off His list); it is a response of obedience to His word out of love and gratitude for His love for me.

 

I think that the focus on death - making it kind of a joke - is man's way of dealing with his fear of death and the unknown. I do not fear death - I know that because I have a Savior I have nothing to fear.

 

I realize that the holiday itself has many cultural traditions that can be understood as just having fun and enjoying the community. For me (I stress that two-word phrase), these are not good enough reasons to indulge in the celebration. I can find other ways of having a nice, cozy evening with my family. My children do not feel deprived (I've asked them); they understand that it is a debatable issue and one must do what one can in good conscience.

 

Also, I think, if Jesus were to come back at this moment (any moment where I am debating whether to do something questionable) would I be ashamed? This is a very personal decision that you have to work out in your own conscience after prayer and Bible study. I would just rather be confident that I was not doing anything wrong than wonder if I may be doing something He would not be pleased with. That's very personal, ime, and can only be determined by each individual in his own heart and mind.

 

If you are feeling conflicted about it, it would be better not to celebrate until you have fully determined your mind one way or the other.

 

We do offer the neighbor children candy. They are our friends and I do not feel I must turn them away or pretend I'm not home. They all know where we stand and do not press my children about why they aren't out trick-or-treating or dressing up in costumes.

:iagree: I wanna be like Kathleen when I grow up.

 

This is our first year not to celebrate Halloween. My dh has been against it, but I convinced him it was fine in the whole "lighten up!" vein. I have been very convicted in the last 8 months or so about a lot of my behavior and this day is another in a long line of things I am changing - specifically working on taking his lead more:blushing:. Surprisingly, the kids are totally fine with it. They did get costumes though, but that was for the Renaissance Festival we went to this week (ds was a knight and dd was a princess/Juliette type) and they will get to wear them again for the Fable Fest our library is putting on - Shakespeare readings and plays, etc. So they don't feel like they are missing out at all and are of an age where they (esp dd) are getting more discerning themselves and can see why we are taking the view that we are.

[momtoboys]

Just to respond --

 

We don't make the huge deal out of Halloween that we do about Christmas, Easter, etc. . .

 

My children don't even know the reasons behind Halloween. Their friends dress up and get candy, and this year we decided to let them have fun too.

 

Mostly, because I examined my heart and the Scripture, and I came to the conclusion that for us, there was no real Biblical reason not to let them dress up like Spiderman and collect candy.

 

I will explain when they are a bit older the background to the day, and why we don't give Halloween the same "celebration" we do to other holidays.

 

I think that for me, I try to be *Very* careful to avoid legalism. I also am careful to avoid judgmentalism, meaning if someone doesn't celebrate it at all, that's perfectly fine with me!!

 

Finally, i know many people will go to the passages on witchcraft, etc in the Bible for their reasons for not celebrating. I completely respect and understand those reasons (they were mine in the past). However, as stated, I don't feel at all like letting my boys dress up and collect some candy at our elderly neighbor's and friend's houses is even close to celebrating or participating in witchcraft.

 

Worldliness, in my opinion, has more to do with the heart than one's outward actions--what they do or do not do. You can live in a Convent and still be worldly. ;)

[mommaduck]

The truth is, harvest-time celebrations are something that crosses throughout all cultures. However, specific practices of such are the differences. If you are an earth based pagan of the celtic persuasion, you will most likely observe Samhain and it's specific icons and rituals. If you are more Reformed or Puritanical, you will most likely wait for Thanksgiving and observe it's expected bounty. (I'll leave it at that, because some might take offense at how I would view their forms of observance even if no offense is meant) However, much of American society has co-opted these, including Christmas and Easter, into secular forms. Some of us feel it disrespectful to "rename" or co-opt another's holiday unless there is real reason or connection between one faith and another (and this becomes a huge argument between groups as well, but it's a fact that we deal with in a diverse society). Others of us believe that secularisation of holy days to be worse than just acknowledging it as another faith's holy day. And still more of us feel a blending of all things...or maybe they feel that a blending of certain faiths, but not others...is anywhere between acceptable and to be enforced as societal expectation (funny that it'll be Jewish/Christian, Christian/Pagan...but I'm certain there would be howls of protest if people started secularising or Christianising Ramadan....so if you would protest one, you may wish to consider your reasons if you don't protest another...or KNOW and be able to reason your connections ;) ).

 

But as someone else has stated, certain symbolisms will naturally cross cultures and faiths as they may share similarities in food eaten and other ideals. I may buy up pumpkins, but mine will probably just sit on the table or be prepared as food for a day of Thanksgiving where someone else will be carving their's out for a lantern either for fun or for the spirits.

[Melinda in VT]

And still more of us feel a blending of all things...or maybe they feel that a blending of certain faiths, but not others...is anywhere between acceptable and to be enforced as societal expectation (funny that it'll be Jewish/Christian, Christian/Pagan...but I'm certain there would be howls of protest if people started secularising or Christianising Ramadan....so if you would protest one, you may wish to consider your reasons if you don't protest another...or KNOW and be able to reason your connections ;) ).

 

Ramadan is largely marked by fasting and prayer, right? I think those two activities are pretty safe from secularization. ;)

 

On the other hand, I would guess that Eid *is* celebrated secularly by some people, especially in countries like Turkey, which have a secular government and a high percentage of Muslim citizens.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It's a matter of "good, better, best" for me. I don't shudder in recoil from it but in our list of priorities it doesn't even make the "better" or "best" list that I tend to choose our activities from. This is a special family day for us. It is the one night of the year that is a family movie night (we do watch movies other times - just not scheduled with dh and with a pizza and pop-corn)! I do not know what my kids will choose to do on this day when they have their own families.

 

I do know that the entire month of October has been a bit of a nightmare in the past because dd7 was absolutely shriekingly afraid of some of the decorations. She got scared by one of those voice-activated zombies in the drug store last year and went into hysterics. Now we send ds12 in stores first to check out any booby-traps! It's probably a developmental thing for her because she isn't so scared this year.

[Emmy]

Here's why we do it:

 

Because to us, it is innocent and fun! We are not celebrating Satan or evil. We are having a good time. We have been baking Halloween treats for two days, we have been practicing our Halloween make-up for tonight all week, we are so excited!! We've also read our bible and prayed every day this week and every other week. It has nothing to do with our salvation!! I am not trying to single any one poster out, but I get so tired of being judged for every thing I do because I am a Christian. I love Jesus so much, and I can celebrate today and everyday because He lived and died for me!! We will dress up tonight, and have a Christmas tree in a month or so, and go visit Santa this year like we always do. My kids know it's all about pretend and that's fine. They know the real reason for Christmas and our life is JESUS!!

 

I guess I feel bitter because I have a tattoo, enjoy a margarita every now and then, read Harry Potter, and celebrate Halloween and that is not Christian enough for some people...

 

 

Ok, off my soapbox now...

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[mommaduck]

Ramadan is largely marked by fasting and prayer, right? I think those two activities are pretty safe from secularization. ;)

 

On the other hand, I would guess that Eid *is* celebrated secularly by some people, especially in countries like Turkey, which have a secular government and a high percentage of Muslim citizens.

Very true on Ramadan...I was reaching for an example. I have no idea what Eid is (I'm more familiar with various Christian practices, Jewish, Celtic Pagan, and various Native practices than I am with various Muslim practices), but very true there as well as I've heard that before (secularisation in those countries of religious holy days). The point is the same though ;)

[Kelli in TN]

Do we have to know his exact birthday to celebrate it? We don't do the whole cake and sing happy birthday. I also tell my kids we don't know when he was actually born but we say we are celebrating because he was born. If it were important to know when he was born it would have been stated in the Bible.

 

What gets me is that Christmas is celebrated as a more important holiday than Resurrection Day (Easter). I think that day should be much more celebrated than Christmas. Not saying I've gotten there yet but it is my goal.

 

Actually, I think you and I are making the same point here. We celebrate that he chose to come to earth as a mortal baby, live a mortal life and be our Redeemer. But we don't sing Happy Birthday to Jesus or in anyway say that this is His birthday. I find it confusing to tell children that we know when Jesus' birthday is and to have birthday parties.

 

I do agree with your second paragraph too, by the way. I have nothing to add so I'll just hold up this :iagree:

[Kelli in TN]

Pagans don't own exclusive rights to utilize pumpkins, apples, and other fall icons or to celebrate the harvest. Those things aren't any more pagan than they are Christian. Any symbolism and meaning they have comes from the person ascribing it to them.

:iagree:

[Seeker]

On one side, many Christians seem to go with their church or most of the members in their churches: if they do it, then there most not be anything wrong with it. On the other, to some Christians is definitive matter of Biblical Law not to do it.

 

I think the part that concerns me the most about whether or not fellow Christians celebrate Halloween is that they rarely have earnestly sought the Lord Himself on the issue and wait for a clear answer. Who has fasted, prayed, and waited on the Lord to give His approval?

 

As I see it, putting aside the origins of Halloween and even my beliefs, because Christianity has adopted so many pagan traditions, Halloween is not the kind of holiday I want encourage because of what it is today in the way that we celebrate it here in the U.S. It is not a tribute to anything worthwhile. It flaunts mischief and even evil. It is not an honorable holiday--again, as it is celebrated by the majority of people today.

[Kathleen in VA]

Jesus sees me all the time, so i should be just as ashamed all the time, if I am really doing something I know is wrong.

 

Back to Halloween, I really think it's between each individual person and God. . I see it as a Christian liberty issue. :)

 

I agree with this. I know I've felt convicted about spending too much time here, lol. There are a million times a day to consider whether I would feel ashamed if Jesus were to come back right that minute.:)

 

I, too, see it as a Christian liberty issue. It is for each individual to come to terms with.

 

As far as it being a heart issue - well, yes, in a way. But others do watch us and they only see the outside - they do not see our hearts. We leave ourselves open to interpretation if we celebrate the holiday (or practice anything else questionable). Christians should make every effort to point others to Christ. Our lives should be a living epistle of the Lord Jesus Christ - a message to the world of His love and redemption. Celebrating Halloween does not fit that paradigm, ime.

 

I am just presenting my viewpoint and am NOT trying to persuade others. Just explaining my thought process in case it is helpful to anyone.

[AngelaNYC]

I didn't read all the replies, so sorry if this was brought up, but the origins of Halloween are actually more Christian than you think. I'm Christian (Catholic) and know much about the holiday and it's origins - hence I have no ill feelings about celebrating it and being a part of it.

 

According to an article in Catholic Parent magazine, "...Halloween is on October 31 because of a pope, and its observances are the result of medieval Catholic piety. It’s true that the ancient Celts of Ireland and Britain celebrated a minor festival on October 31--as they did on the last day of most other months of the year. However, Halloween falls on the last day of October because the Feast of All Saints, or "All Hallows," falls on November 1. The feast in honor of all the saints in heaven used to be celebrated on May 13, but Pope Gregory III (d. 741) moved it to November 1, the dedication day of All Saints Chapel in St. Peter’s at Rome. Later, in the 840s, Pope Gregory IV commanded that All Saints be observed everywhere. And so the holy day spread to Ireland.

 

The day before was the feast’s evening vigil, "All Hallows Even," or "Hallowe’en." In those days Halloween didn’t have any special significance for Christians or for long-dead Celtic pagans.

 

In 998, St. Odilo, the abbot of the powerful monastery of Cluny in southern France, added a celebration on November 2. This was a day of prayer for the souls of all the faithful departed. This feast, called All Souls Day, spread from France to the rest of Europe.

 

So now the Church had feasts for all those in heaven and all those in purgatory. What about those in the other place? It seems Irish Catholic peasants wondered about the unfortunate souls in hell. After all, if the souls in hell are left out when we celebrate those in heaven and purgatory, they might be unhappy enough to cause trouble. So it became customary to bang pots and pans on All Hallows Even to let the ****ed know they were not forgotten. Thus, in Ireland at least, all the dead came to be remembered--even if the clergy were not terribly sympathetic to Halloween and never allowed All ****ed Day into the church calendar.

 

But that still isn’t our celebration of Halloween. Our traditions on this holiday center on dressing up in fanciful costumes, which isn’t Irish at all. Rather, this custom arose in France during the 14th and 15th centuries. Late medieval Europe was hit by repeated outbreaks of the bubonic plague--the Black Death--and it lost about half its population. It is not surprising that Catholics became more concerned about the afterlife.

 

More Masses were said on All Souls Day, and artistic representations were devised to remind everyone of their own mortality. We know these representations as the danse macabre, or "dance of death," which was commonly painted on the walls of cemeteries and shows the devil leading a daisy chain of people--popes, kings, ladies, knights, monks, peasants, lepers, etc.--into the tomb. Sometimes the dance was presented on All Souls Day itself as a living tableau with people dressed up in the garb of various states of life.

 

But the French dressed up on All Souls, not Halloween; and the Irish, who had Halloween, did not dress up. How the two became mingled probably happened first in the British colonies of North America during the 1700s, when Irish and French Catholics began to intermarry. The Irish focus on hell gave the French masquerades an even more macabre twist.

 

"Treat or treat" is perhaps the oddest and most American addition to Halloween and is the unwilling contribution of English Catholics.

During the penal period of the 1500s to the 1700s in England, Catholics had no legal rights. They could not hold office and were subject to fines, jail and heavy taxes. It was a capital offense to say Mass, and hundreds of priests were martyred.

 

Occasionally, English Catholics resisted, sometimes foolishly. One of the most foolish acts of resistance was a plot to blow up the Protestant King James I and his Parliament with gunpowder. This was supposed to trigger a Catholic uprising against the oppressors. The ill-conceived Gunpowder Plot was foiled on November 5, 1605, when the man guarding the gunpowder, a reckless convert named Guy Fawkes, was captured and arrested. He was hanged; the plot fizzled.

 

November 5, Guy Fawkes Day, became a great celebration in England, and so it remains. During the penal periods, bands of revelers would put on masks and visit local Catholics in the dead of night, demanding beer and cakes for their celebration: trick or treat!

 

Guy Fawkes Day arrived in the American colonies with the first English settlers. But by the time of the American Revolution, old King James and Guy Fawkes had pretty much been forgotten. Trick or treat, though, was too much fun to give up, so eventually it moved to October 31, the day of the Irish-French masquerade. And in America, trick or treat wasn’t limited to Catholics.

 

The mixture of various immigrant traditions we know as Halloween had become a fixture in the United States by the early 1800s. To this day, it remains unknown in Europe, even in the countries from which some of the customs originated.

 

But what about witches? Well, they are one of the last additions. The greeting card industry added them in the late 1800s. Halloween was already "ghoulish," so why not give witches a place on greeting cards? The Halloween card failed (although it has seen a recent resurgence in popularity), but the witches stayed.

 

So too, in the late 1800s, ill-informed folklorists introduced the jack-o’-lantern. They thought that Halloween was Druidic and pagan in origin. Lamps made from turnips (not pumpkins) had been part of ancient Celtic harvest festivals, so they were translated to the American Halloween celebration.

 

The next time someone claims that Halloween is a cruel trick to lure your children into devil worship, I suggest you tell them the real origin of All Hallows Eve and invite them to discover its Christian significance, along with the two greater and more important Catholic festivals that follow it."

[anewday]

 

If I'm going to tell my kids they can't, I'd better sure have a solid Biblical reason.

 

Yep - that I'm the parent, they are the child and what I say goes. :lol:

 

Seriously, I don't feel like I need any reason not to have my kids dress up and trick or treat other than that we, as a family, don't participate. I'm not obligated to participate in any holiday (even Christmas). :)

 

That said, to answer the OP, we don't celebrate it but I don't have a problem with others who choose to.

[momtoboys]

Yep, I'm the mom. . what I say goes.

 

However, after a certain age, I do feel that I need to give a "reason" for what we believe, and for why we have certain rules.

 

Rules without reasons often lead to rebellion in the teen years and after. JMHO.

[Old Dominion Heather]

Why we do celebrate Halloween: My husband says this (he put it really well) We poke fun at the darkness while standing in the light. Evil has no power over us, we mock it with the costumes, Jack-o-lanterns, etc...

[anewday]

Yep, I'm the mom. . what I say goes.

 

However, after a certain age, I do feel that I need to give a "reason" for what we believe, and for why we have certain rules.

 

Rules without reasons often lead to rebellion in the teen years and after. JMHO.

 

Certainly - but what I was addressing is the feeling that we need to have a "biblical reason NOT to celebrate Halloween" and the general feeling I got from that post that participating in something cultural is almost necessary.

 

We give our kids reasons for why we say no, however, a "biblical reason" is also simply because mom said no ("Children obey your parents in the Lord")...

[Erica in PA]

The Lord is more concerned with what is in our hearts than the date on the calendar. I can truthfully say that there is nothing wicked in my heart that that motivates me to choose costumes for my children, and take them around our neighborhood to interact with our neighbors and get some sweet treats. The fact that some have done wicked things on this day does not have anything to do with what we do on Halloween. We don't celebrate death or the occult, and don't reflect those things in the kids' costumes or our decorations. While I respect other Christian's decisions to not participate in Halloween because of its origins, just as I respect Christians who don't celebrate Christmas or Easter for the same reason, I think it's improper to judge other Christians who decide to participate in Halloween with their families. God is not in heaven fretting over my son's cowboy costume and Snickers bars, and I think other Christians would be wise to follow His example.

[Barb_]

Pagans don't own exclusive rights to utilize pumpkins, apples, and other fall icons or to celebrate the harvest. Those things aren't any more pagan than they are Christian. Any symbolism and meaning they have comes from the person ascribing it to them.

 

Well...no. You're right, they don't. It's just ironic that in trying to distance themselves from pagan symbolism, many churches fall headlong into even deeper Pagan traditions.

 

Barb

[Barb_]

Yep, I'm the mom. . what I say goes.

 

However, after a certain age, I do feel that I need to give a "reason" for what we believe, and for why we have certain rules.

 

Rules without reasons often lead to rebellion in the teen years and after. JMHO.

 

It's that pesky logic stage :D

[katemary63]

I grew up in a liberal (theologically) Catholic home. We dressed up every year and enjoyed all the free candy.

 

I'm now a conservative Christian, and my kids dress up every year and enjoy the free candy.

 

It's about the heart, isn't it? My kids' hearts are not worshiping false gods, nor are they being drawn to dark, cult-like behavior by going out trick-or-treating. We carve pumpkins, hand out candy, go trick-or-treating, talk to neighbors, and have fun eating all the yummy candy.

 

As for all of that candy and its lack of nutritional value, I say: lighten up! :D It's once a year. We indulge on vacation, birthdays, and holidays. I don't find it mind-blowing at all that we allow our children to collect and eat this candy (after we've inspected it, of course). I find it a part of a well-balanced childhood. :)

 

:iagree::iagree: Well said.

[bunnytracks]

i dont do anything on halloween that I wouldnt do any other day.

 

FOR ME (only my conviction) I feel that since I allow my kids to play dress up 364 days out of the year by not letting them on 1 day a year set it up to actually mean something. Same with candy. There are many times through out the year that my kids get candy from "stranger" at the bank, friendly elderly at nursing homes, even a sucker at a restraunt. I am not going to tell my kids it is ok 364 days but not today because it is halloween. I dont let them do anything today that I wouldnt let them do any other day.

 

This is the day the LORD has made I will rejoice and be glad in it. I will not let someone else's evil heart and practices make make it a day I wish never happened.

[Audrey]

Well...no. You're right, they don't. It's just ironic that in trying to distance themselves from pagan symbolism, many churches fall headlong into even deeper Pagan traditions.

 

Barb

 

That was my point exactly. You said it better.:D