Harvesting Holiness During Halloween

As we patiently wait for the vibrant red, orange and yellow hues that are beginning to grace the surfaces of the forest green colors that are painted outside, department stores all across the United States have begun stocking their shelves with haunted decorations to get people excited for October 31.

As a Christian who grew up in a Christ-centered household, Halloween was a “holiday” that was rarely ever celebrated in order to maintain Christian values outlined in Biblical scripture.

Instead, I celebrated fall harvest events, recognizing the transition from summer to fall as an act performed by God.

I personally believe there are only two approaches when it comes to Halloween: celebrating it with all its demonic decor, or forgoing the trick-or-treating, costumes and scary decorations altogether by choosing instead to participate in fall harvest.

As this so-called holiday comes around every year, parents – especially Christian parents – are faced with the dilemma of letting their children participate in what the world might define as “harmless fun.”

It is up to each individual and their relationship with the Lord on how they decide to celebrate Halloween. However, it is paramount to be informed of the origin of the “holiday” in order to better understand the approach you decide to take this year as the spooky season is just around the corner.

The history of Halloween does not paint this so-called “holiday” in the best of light. As time goes by, Halloween has become increasingly more focused on zombies, ghosts and witches. 

— Editor’s Note —

For more historical context on Halloween go read “The History of Halloween” on MBU Timeline.

There are those who might say: But what about costumes such as princesses, football players, cowboys and characters from cartoons? Those aren’t demonic. While it’s true that many kids we see trick-or-treating in a few weeks will be dressed in these harmless costumes, it remains important to remember the Druids dressed up in their costumes because they feared demonic spirits. 

Yes, they wanted to ward off demonic spirits, but dressing up in costumes scarier than the spirits they were warding off just doesn’t sit well with me from a Christian point of view. In my view, even dressing in seemingly harmless costumes that reflect more of modern pop culture than any demonic spirits should not be considered God-honoring.

Based on how my family and I view Halloween, we think it is the only major “holiday” celebrated in the United States where the true meaning or intention does not have God at the center.

Thanksgiving is celebrated because of the blessings God provided to the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indian tribe in 1621. Christmas is celebrated to honor the birth of Jesus. Easter is celebrated to remember Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. And I agree with those who believe the 4th of July (Independence Day) is celebrated as a jubilee in remembrance of God’s sovereign nation being established, and gaining a new birth of freedoms.

Even holidays like President’s Day, Mother’s Day,  Veterans Day, Father’s Day and MLK Day all have God-focused qualities, in my opinion. 

There is simply no way to harvest holiness in our hearts and in our households by celebrating a “holiday” where God is not found at all. 

People typically choose to drape decorations such as skeletons, witches and ghosts on the inside and outside of their houses, and you would not find such decorations with God in Heaven. Why would we as Christians want to actively and intentionally celebrate and decorate with objects that are assumed to be found in Hell? 

With this in mind, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate and decorate for the transition from summer to fall that are still God-honoring.

GO TO A PUMPKIN PATCH OR APPLE ORCHARD

Though the Druids used corn and pumpkins as an offering to their false gods, Christians understand that these are foods of harvest provided to us by God.

Going to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard is a great way to celebrate the bounty of food that we are fortunate to have. 

Based on the origin of Halloween, getting a pumpkin to carve and display during fall can be God-honoring as the original intent of this action was to ward off evil spirits. The Druids, unaware of God’s omnipotent holy light, carved and lit pumpkins out of fear of demonic spirits.

As Christians, however, we have nothing to fear because God is always with us. So instead of carving demonic or scary faces on the pumpkins to adorn the front of your house, understand that if you decide to carve a pumpkin, it is for the sole purpose of telling the Devil he is not welcome because you have God on your side.