Halloween - What's a Christian to do?

Halloween is almost here. That means that fall is upon us and it's going to get cold soon. It also becomes a time where we walk a fine line. I love to celebrate. My kids love dressing up and getting candy. A couple of years ago, one of my kids asked me why we celebrate Halloween. I couldn't really answer her, so I decided I better really find the answer. I found the book, "Redeeming Halloween" by Wier and McCune. As I was reading, it really opened my eyes. It also gave me hope for redeeming this holiday and celebrating in a way that would honor God. I wrote a series of posts about what I found from the book and the internet. Since we will start our decorating this weekend and get our pumpkins, I thought it would be a great time for me to review what I learned a couple years back. And I thought I share them with you.

Redeeming Halloween - Part 1 (originally posted 10/9/09)
My daughter, Mackenzie, asked me why we celebrate Halloween. She wanted details. I told her that she should look it up on the internet. (That's what a mom does when she really doesn't know all the facts. Well, this mom anyways. :) Well, when I was looking through our resource center at church, I found this book. "Redeeming Halloween" I have so much time to read that I figured I should get this book. Actually, it's pretty good.


When it came to celebrating years ago, it was always just about decorating, costumes and candy. Then the deeper I got into my walk with the Lord, the more I began to see how we were not honoring Him. For example: decorations that included ghosts and witches, along with witch costumes, etc. Don't get me wrong...I'm not judging anyone here. This is just my walk and I'm sharing it with anyone who cares. I never really gave it a second thought until a few years ago. It was like all of a sudden I started feeling bad when I put out ghosts or witches. Not because anyone had told me it was wrong...it was just a feeling that came from inside. So, we started to transition out of those decorations. We also have gotten rid of most of the "scary" things. The more I think about it, the more I just wonder why I would "want" to scare my kids or any kids for that matter. hmmm....

So, through reading this book I've learned some cool stuff and ideas. I'm sure there are hundreds or more of resource to get information about Halloween. And I'm also quite sure that they all vary to some degree. If you have other information or ideas, please post it in the comments section at the end of this post. I would love to hear them.

My main point in doing this is to be able to answer those questions that my 11 year old daughter has asked me. And to share with you some insights and ideas I've been reading in this book and found on the internet. I am not judging anyone here, or trying to start a debate. :) These are just my own personal feelings. That being said, I welcome your comments and ideas as well.

First of all, here's a short version of the history of Halloween.
History of name (from Wikipedia)

The term Halloween is shortened from All Hallows' Even (both "even" and "eve" are abbreviations of "evening", but "Halloween" gets its "n" from "even") as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", which is now also known as All Saints' Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints' Day from May 13 (which had itself been the date of a pagan holiday, the Feast of the Lemures) to November 1. In the ninth century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day. Liturgically, the Church traditionally celebrated that day as the Vigil of All Saints, and, until 1970, a day of fasting as well. Like other vigils, it was celebrated on the previous day if it fell on a Sunday, although secular celebrations of the holiday remained on the 31st. The Vigil was suppressed in 1955, but was later restored in the post-Vatican II calendar.

Here are the other 3 posts.
Redeeming Halloween - Part 2 (This is the Christian History part)
Redeeming Halloween - Part 3 (Fun ways to celebrate - trick-or-treating, decorating, pumpkin carving)
Redeeming Halloween - Part 4 (Ways to share your faith and love your neighbor)

I hope you enjoy!

"Redeeming Halloween" Part 4

This is a 4 part post. To start at the beginning, scroll down to Thursday, October 9 "Redeeming Halloween" to start at the beginning.

Sorry, I'm a little behind on this post. I know I've talked to some of you and you are getting into this with all the ideas. I'm amazed at how many people I know that had no idea about the true history of Halloween. I just keep thinking: "Why didn't someone tell me this a long time ago?" :) Ok, well here we go.



God tells us to share His good news every chance we get. He tells us to open our doors and our hearts to those who come. What if God were to arrange for your neighbors to knock on your door - and not just one, but the entire neighborhood - and all in one night? How can we not take advantage of that?



Here's what we did on Halloween 2 years ago. We and another family had a bonfire in our driveway and passed out hot apple cider, hot cocoa and candy. We set out hay bails, pumpkins and we all dressed up in a Western theme. It was a huge hit. Neighbors hung out at our fire, sipping their hot drinks, while the kids played. We lived on the corner of a cul-de-sac so some of the kids got to trick-or-treat to those houses while we chatted with their parents. We had a little sign that said "Light Up Your Neighborhood" and some asked what that was about. Well, that gave us a chance to share about what it means to be a light to others. Nothing too heavy...just planting a seed.



Other ideas/tips for welcoming trick-or-treaters:

• The treats you give out say a great deal about your family. (A few years ago, I wouldn't have agreed with this comment...I mean after all, kids go to many houses and how can they possibly remember who gives them what? And they get tons of candy so they really don't need big candy bars and such. Plus, I don't think it should matter how much you give especially if you don't have a lot of money.) All that being said, God does ask us to be generous givers from the heart. Although we don't have the extra money to spend on big candy bars, BUT a couple of jugs of hot apple cider don't cost that much and that made a BIG impact! And my mother and father-in law give out the King Size candy bars and believe me...the kids remember. You should see the look on their faces when they get to choose a King size candy bar from a tray. It's really something cool to see.
• Be known as a generous giver.
• If you want to offer a spiritual treat, make sure it is accompanied by a sweet treat. The last thing you want is to give something spiritual and have the first response be disappointment.
• Design & print a message on colorful paper, wrap it around the candy and secure it with tape or glue. Or use label stickers. A sample message might be: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8
• As you fill your jars of candy & turn on the lights or get ready to go outside to the end of your driveway, take time to pray as a family for all those who will come to your home. Ask God to give you just the right words for each person and to use this night to prepare the way for building relationships in which you can share His love.

Making the most of opportunities with children.

• Greet them with words that truly let them know they are welcome. For example, "We're so glad you came to our house."
• Ask their names and try to make mental note or write them down.
• Show interest by asking about their costumes.
• If you are wearing a costume, use opportunities to talk about it as they arise. Remember though, that you are there to build relationships, not to preach or try to change their views of Halloween.

Make the most of opportunities with parents.

• If parents are not coming to the door, bring your candy or cider to them.
• Introduce yourself and ask where they live.
• Show interest in them but keep it brief.
• Let them know how pleased you were to meet them and express interest in seeing them again.

Keeping the door open.

• Make note of the names of neighbors you meet.
• Begin to pray for those families by name.
• Ask God to give you natural opportunities to build on your Halloween introductions. Slow down and take advantage of those little opportunities too.
• Watch to see where God is working.
• Be prepared! If you sincerely want to reach out to others with the love of God in your own neighborhood, God will faithfully give you many opportunities.

I hope this gets the ideas going. As I mentioned before, most of this was taken from the book "Redeeming Halloween", by Wier & McCune. There are actually some fun party ideas in the book as well, but I just don't have the time to type them all out. I will have one more wrap up post in the next day or so. Please leave any other ideas you may have. Also, if you have any inexpensive costume ideas, I'd love to hear them. Remember...I mentioned earlier that I'm not the creative type. :)

Thanks for participating!

Bless you!

Christine

"Redeeming Halloween" Part 3

This is a 4 part post. To start at the beginning scroll down to Thursday, October 9 "Redeeming Halloween" or click here.

Ways to celebrate Halloween!

I really enjoyed reading this part of the book, "Redeeming Halloween". It gave insight that I hadn't really considered.



Trick-or-treating

We can use Halloween to train our children to reach the lost through the fun of trick-or-treating! There are a variety of stories about the roots of trick-or-treating, which I'm not going to spend a lot of time on. You can read the book for their view or google it online. I didn't find anything "evil" about trick-or-treating. Some people did take "mischief" night to the extreme and caused great damage, but ultimately trick-or-treating was used to encourage "good" children to dress up and have fun with good behavior.



By simply changing the focus, you can let this be used as a light to others. For example, when your child is picking out their costume, have them change their focus to the needs of the spiritually lost. Have them dress like a character that represents someone or a group they want to tell about Jesus. (Elvis could represent the stars who need Jesus. A football player could represent those living without Jesus in the sports culture. A Ninja could represent praying for the list in Asia). The idea here is to change your child's focus to be thinking about Jesus AND at the same time,you're teaching them about all the lost people out there, while still making this fun.

• Brainstorm the places and people where the gospel has been rejected.


• Let the kids share their ideas.


• Keep an open mind...even dressing as a sea creature could represent sailors or fishermen. :) Remember, having fun is a legitimate goal and an important part of celebrating.


• Do some research about the people your child's costume represents. Remind them that to reach someone, it is necessary to understand them.


• Talk about how people who have not accepted Jesus have been "tricked" into believing they don't need Him, but that God wants them to receive the greatest "treat", salvation through Jesus and eternal life in heaven. Love this!!!!!


• Make a list of specific ways your children can pray for that group of people to be prepared to hear the gospel. Include asking God to send workers into that mission field.


• Each night for a week before or after Halloween, pray with your children for their chosen country, people, group, or culture.


• After you arrive home and admire the abundance of candy, finish the night with a Scripture verse that promises sweet rewards for those who do God's work on earth. "It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing [good things] when he returns" Luke 12:43 And, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15. What Scriptures can you find??? I'd love to have a whole list! Include your verses in the comment section at the bottom of this post!


• Help your children see that while trick-or-treating can be a fun time one night a year, following God and sharing the good news of Jesus is an adventure that lasts a whole lifetime.


• Finish your night with prayer. Thank God that someone told you about Jesus, and ask Him to use your family to do the same for others.

Decorating

An important part of any seasonal celebration. It sets the mood, symbolically communicates a message, and adds some plain old fun. We can use lights at Halloween to testify to a needy world. For some of you who have not celebrated Halloween is the past, Be aware: Decorating is "coming out of the closet." And you may just get the opportunity to explain why you chose to celebrate a holy Halloween. :)



Ways to light your home:

• String white Christmas lights on your home.


• Make luminaries to line your walkway or drive.


• Rope lights can be used to make a cross. That will not go unnoticed!

Ways to make your home a "light":

• Banners - use a phrase from Scripture (ex. "Jesus, the Light of the World", "Perfect Love Casts Out Fear", etc)


• Make a wreath for your front door that uses wheat and other harvest items. Display on the wreath the following verse: "Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:20


• Decorate with harvest items such as hay bales, scarecrows, or pumpkins. Display "harvest" verses with your decorations such as John 4:35, Matthew 9:37, or Luke 10:2

Tips for pumpkin carving:

• Be like a Halloween pumpkin: a source of light on a dark night. As your family carves their pumpkin, use it as a teaching moment:


• Cutting open the top: Have the mind of Christ to think and act as He would 1 Corinthians 2:16


• Cleaning out the seeds: Confess your sins so God can clean them out 1 John 1:9


• Carving new eyes: Instead of looking for the faults of others, use your eyes to examine your own faults first. Matthew 7:3-5


• Carving a nose: Don't be a proud person with your nose in the air or you will be the cause of many arguments. Proverbs 13:10


• Carving ears: Listen to gain knowledge and tun your ears to wisdom from others. Proverbs 23:12


• Carving a mouth: Let your words be sweet so that they will bless others. Proverbs 16:24


• Lighting the candle: When you try to think, act, see, listen, and speak as Christ, then "your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, [and] it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you." Luke 11:36

Use the carving process to share the gospel:

• Cut the pumpkin open and reveal the mess inside: No matter how our life looks on the outside, our life is really a mess and hopeless without God because of our sin. Romans 3:23


• Turn the pumpkin upside down and try to shake out the mess: We can't get rid of or own sin. Just as a pumpkin will rot and be left useless as it is, left with our sin, we will also face ruin. Romans 6:23


• The pumpkin is helpless to take its own mess away and needs our help: We are helpless to take our sin away and we need help too. Romans 5:6,8


• Remove the seeds and slime from the inside of the pumpkin: God sent Jesus to do what we couldn't, take away our sins. Romans 10:9


• Show the clean and empty pumpkin: Once the mess has been taken away, a new space has been created for something better. Ephesians 4:22-32


• Cut a joyful face in the pumpkin: Joy is one of the first things that God uses to fill that empty space. Romans 15:13


• Place a candle inside the pumpkin and light it: Now our lives are a place where God lives, and when we obey Him, the light of His goodness shines through us. John 8:12


• Set the newly carved pumpkin next to an uncarved one: When we trust Jesus to take away our sins, He makes us into a whole new creature, full of joy and light. 2 Corinthians 5:17


• Set your pumpkin out for all to see, but as you do, tell your children that the pumpkin will eventually rot and perish: Those with the real light of Christ, though, will never perish, because we have eternal life. John 3:16

So, those are a few decorating ideas and ways to share the gospel while celebrating. I'm really looking forward to doing the pumpkin carving. Since I'm not creative at all...I will use some of these ideas mentioned above from the book. But I know there are some very creative people out there...so share away!

I'll post more stuff soon! Click here for part 4.

In the mean time, remember to share your ideas by clicking on "comments" below. :)

Blessings,
Christine