To Trick or to Treat: That is The Question
by One Christian Mom’s journey through the Halloween Maze.
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When I grew up in the 70’s, no one was asking this question. I did not grow up in a Christian home, but I have several aunts and uncles who are Christian, and I don’t recall any arguments or discussions within their families. We all gathered with my mom’s family at Grandma’s house (Halloween Central) and the parents and my older cousins took turns walking with the kids on our trick or treating rounds. At Grandma’s house the candy and treats were sorted out and examined for any signs of tampering.
Back then, our only concern over trick or treating was the fear of some lunatic putting razor blades in the apples or rat poison in the popcorn balls. Trick or treating was just good clean fun, except for the occasional rotten egg thrown at a car. When my dad was growing up in the 50’s, the favourite prank was to move someone’s outhouse a few feet back. I’m sure that there were some unfortunate people who considered Halloween as something other than good clean fun, but most people were ok with celebrating it as a holiday.
It was in the 80’s, when I attended Bible College that I first heard of people who did not celebrate Halloween. The dark origins and the present occult connections to this holiday were discussed and debated. The safety issue of allowing children to go to strangers’ homes to ask for candy, when for the rest of the year we are trying to teach them not to talk to strangers and especially to never take candy from them seemed rather hypocritical. The “In the world but not of the world” pendulum got a solid swing over to the “Halloween is evil” side.
After university, I went to teach in a Christian school where most of the parents were in agreement with the school’s policy to ignore Halloween. We choose another day of the year to have a day of dressing in costume. Sometime in late October we had an assembly when we discussed the reasons that the school would not be having any class parties on October 31.
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Post CommentTanya Wallace
On October 28, 2009 at 7:41 pm
This is certainly a thought provoking write although as far as Christians and Halloween go the masks and decorations as well as treates were used to ward off evil spirits,it wasn’t a celebration as it now has leaned toward.I agree with you about Paul if you believe it is wrong then you shouldn’t participate but if you believe there is no harm that comes from it,why not. I liked you closing statement. This was a wonderful write!!
Hettie
On October 28, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Hi Karen great article, here in New Zealand halloween was a non issue till a few years ago. Now a lot of the Chruches I know have what they call light parties instead with fun and sweets and stories and games.which to my way of thinking encludes all the fun needed.Though because of shops and TVs infulence children and young people think halloween is something special. I prefer not to acknowledge it in any way after reading where it came from and what really happened then.
PR Mace
On October 28, 2009 at 11:46 pm
You can make anything evil if you try hard enough. I know some use Halloween as a time of evil or to worship the Devil but there is a fun silly side to Halloween. That is the side I celebrate. Halloween is my favorite holiday next to Christmas. I say to each his own. By the way you would hate my house as it is decked out in Halloween fun.
Karen Gross
On October 29, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Thank you for your comments. I really like learning how people in other countries think about the issues we have here in Canada.
As I get older, and hopefully a little wiser, I am learning not to sweat the small stuff. I still don’t like Halloween decor, but I don’ t think I’m giving the devil a foothold in my door by opening my door to the neighbourhood kids to hand out candy. And I won’t be slipping in a gospel tract.
serowa
On October 31, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Where I come from we don’t celebrate or even know of halloween. So I was shocked when I came to the USA to find that people celebrate such an event.
Something about the whole thing freaked me out. So I did my own research and I discovered the genesis and the idea behind the whole thing. This explained why my spirit was so grieved about halloween.
My son was only 6 and I had to ensure I communicated to him why that was one of the cultural norms we were not going to adopt. He is now 15 years and we do not associate with halloween.
I personally will not be party to something that has not cultural value to me and clashes with my faith.