First off, let me put this out here immediately: we are a Christian family and we go trick-or-treating. I know this issue can be quite divisive in the Christian sphere and I don't think any reasoning I give for participating in Halloween will change anyone's point-of-view. I totally understand the conviction not to participate and I respect this choice. So if you are wholly against Halloween participation, this might not be the post for you. If you do participate, I hope to give you ideas how God's truth can be brought to light in this season.
There are several images associated with Halloween and although some of them celebrate horror, many by themselves do not. Instead of building fear in my children towards these images, I have brought God into the discussion to explore the truth behind the images. Here are some images and ways we have redeemed what has been appropriated by the world:
Skeletons: When I taught preschool, I taught about our skeleton in October. We talked about why God gave us a skeleton and learned the names of the parts of our skeleton. I cut out paper skeletons and the students glued the parts together in the right order. I also purchased a plastic skeleton that came apart and they could explore. I called him Mr. Bones. Students always loved seeing him! I did these things with my oldest, too, and she had so much fun learning about how God made her skeleton.
Bats, Black Cats, Owls, Spiders: My oldest adores animals. I have taken advantage of this love during this season for the last few years. One of her favorite movies for a while was Stellaluna, a story about a fruit bat. She loves cats. I love owls. We decorated a window the last couple years with these creatures. We talked about God's design in these animals, what their particular abilities are, how they fit into God's nature. This year my daughter wanted spider decorations. We bought some webs and a mommy spider and her babies. We've already talked about how beneficial spiders are. I've learned to live with them and my daughter thinks they are cool. Even they have a purpose in God's design. Another idea: check out books at the library about these creatures to learn more.
Ghosts: We have addressed this directly. There are no ghosts. This is a perfect time to share with your child what really happens after death. People do not walk the earth. God's word makes it clear that death comes and then judgment. The indication in scripture is that people's souls are in wait for their final judgment. Exactly what happens until then is debated by scholars, but regardless, the final destination is clear based on one's relationship with Jesus Christ. My daughter thinks ghosts are just plain silly. They aren't real and the scary is all pretend.
Blood, Guts, and Gore: I know some people are okay with this aspect of Halloween, but for me it's distasteful and not enjoyable. My oldest knows I don't celebrate the horror, but she also knows I have zero fear of it. In fact, the other day we passed a particularly gory display and I laughed. "That's a landmark!" I told her. I've made it clear what she sees is fake instead of hiding it from her. If you have an older child, you could address the truth about violence in the world, how people treat other people, and why it matters that we don't follow the examples of violent men.
Witches: I haven't really addressed witches yet. This is another area I do not enjoy and so I have avoided the image. Some day, when she gets interested, I'll explain about the history of witches and the truth about Wicca. I will also make it clear that Halloween images are a cartoonish version of history and paganism.
I hope this list has given you ideas how to replace scariness with truth. My goal is to take the fear away for my child and to ground her in the truth. I don't want Halloween tradition to color what is in reality God's beauty. Our skeletons are amazing. Bats and cats and owls, and yes, even spiders, are creative designs from a creative God. Death is a celebration for followers of Christ and the ultimate revelation of a just and merciful God. The world is full of violence, but we can display God's way of kindness and love to a violent world and even to those who deny the truth of God's existence. Christian, let the truth of God reign even in the season of Halloween!
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