Halloween

We have never celebrated Halloween with our children. Big Daddy and I came to faith in Christ the year our oldest was born, and it was a spiritual awakening that totally rocked our world, so to speak. We were changed. We stopped moving in one direction and began heading in another: Following Christ. Part of that was forsaking and abandoning all of the things we participated in or associated with our old, sinful lives. Halloween reminded us both of satanism, Paganism and assorted revelry of the inebriated kind. So, we decided it was not in our family's best interest as Christ-followers to make much ado about it. This verse really spoke volumes to us in regards to us celebrating Halloween.

We took some flack for it. We've been made to feel like we were weird and cult-ish for not participating, or that we were depriving our children of a fun time. We've managed, and our children are fine. Variously we've participated in Harvest parties or let our children dress up as their favorite storybook character at school. But we just never got into the spooky decorations and trick-or-treating and bonna-fide Halloween parties. I just felt a deep level of spiritual discomfort over the Pagan roots, occult and horror imagery, and the sexy, party atmosphere that modern Halloween celebrations conjure up.

So I'm striking a balance between teaching our younger children that while Halloween celebrations aren't for us (and why), many other people, some Christians and good folks, don't share our same convictions, and that doesn't make them bad. We all have to live by what the Holy Spirit leads and convicts each of us to do. St. Paul said "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient." I think his words there, and regarding what one eats (see here) could readily apply to this subject.

A few other bloggers discussed this same subject nicely here and here.