Not much. At least as it stands in today’s culture.
Let me clarify. Halloween is fun and thrilling and scary and usually harmless but to a true Christian, most of what we do doesn’t quite line up to their beliefs.
Some believers don’t celebrate at all, because it acknowledges Satan’s existence and could put into question the superiority of Christ. Others prefer to celebrate All Saints’ Day, November 1st.
According to the website All About God (www.allaboutgod.com) the history of Halloween is purely pagan, except for the name. It says the holiday’s history begins in Ireland around AD 270 with the Celts.
The celebration involved a costume party the night before Samhain, which was their annual feast to honor their departed relatives and give thanks for the summer’s bounty before the long winter took hold.
The costumes were meant to fool the evil spirits into thinking the living were part of the undead realm and therefore, not a target to pick on. It was for protection, in essence. As believers, Christians know that Christ defeats Satan and all demons, so costumes aren’t necessary.
The name “Halloween” is supposedly a variation on All Hallows Eve, the night before All Saints Day. It is also known as Hallomass, which means holy night. When the Christian missionaries brought the Good News to Ireland, the holiday was converted to honor saints and the defeat of Satan, death and evil.
As children, it’s fun to pretend to be someone or something else. It’s not deception. It’s not nefarious. It’s just fun. Kids love dress up!
So, to make it a little about belief, parents can take the opportunity to talk to their kids about Christ’s defeat over evil. Isn’t that what kids hope for in their make-believe superheroes they’re dressing up like anyway?
Marijo Tinlin is the editor in chief of Family First, one of the oldest family-oriented websites on the internet. She is also the author of the new book “How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be American” available at www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com.
