I am not against trick-or-treating. There, I said it.
Now, I realize in some circles this will immediately label me as anti-Christian {which I am not}, and you are certainly free to maintain your opinion and convictions—I respect that.
But. For those of you who know me or are willing to hear me out… and for those of you who just read that thing about yes to trick-or-treating and you’re standing on your chair shouting PRAISE the LORD, she GETS ME… here’s why I advocate for participating in Halloween.
Outreach.
Plain and simple.
Now, when I say “participate in Halloween” I do NOT mean take an active role in perpetuating the gory, scary obsession with evil. Quite the opposite.
I’m saying combat it—with God’s love.
And we can’t really do that unless we show up.
So here are five ways I have seen and experienced Christians glorifying our Savior Jesus Christ on Halloween. Understand these do not equate to an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach. Rather, they are unique opportunities to harness what’s meant for evil and transform it into something good.
1. Gospel candy tags
Years ago a friend shared with me a story called the pumpkin gospel. It’s essentially an analogy between a jack-o-lantern and salvation—and I love it. So a couple years ago I made these pumpkin gospel tags and taped one onto every piece of candy I handed out on Halloween. It’s a sweet way to share the gospel. (Pun intended.)
Becoming a Christian is like being a PUMPKIN. God PICKS YOU out of the patch, WASHES OFF the dirt, and SCOOPS OUT your yucky seeds of doubt, hate and greed. Then He carves you a new SMILING FACE and puts HIS LIGHT inside of you to SHINE for all the world to see!
Click here to download a free printable of gospel pumpkin tags from my resource library, or click here to sign up for access if you don’t have it already.
2. Serve food
Halloween is a huge opportunity to connect with neighbors. When else do dozens or even hundreds of pre-believers show up at your door in throngs? Use this chance to build relationships by blessing visitors with food, which also gives them a reason to stick around a bit and talk. I know one family that sets out hot cider and cookies for all the trick-or-treaters, and another that serves hot dogs. Think of all the hungry dads walking their kids around the block for hours. Don’t you think a hot dog will look mighty appealing? You’ll become known as the family who goes above and beyond—the people who care about other people. Imagine what glory that brings to God.
3. Give to missions
I’ll never forget the year we stood outside a neighbor’s house looking at a big white tally sheet taped to the door. When we rang the bell to shout “trick or treat,” the gentleman inside explained that for every child who came to his house that evening, he would give one dollar to missions. So he handed us a couple black markers and invited my girls to add two more tally marks to his sheet. We walked away with such greater treasure than a handful of mini chocolate bars. What an amazing way to reclaim Halloween for the Lord.
4. Pray over every doorstep
If you’re not in a rush to get as much candy as possible before the night is through (tummy aches, anyone?), consider stopping for a moment before every house and, as a family, praying for the people who live there. They might be familiar neighbors or total strangers, but either way, lift them up to the Lord and ask Him to cover their needs. He knows what those needs are. Perhaps the best prayer is to ask God to show that family a glimpse of Himself. Then be sure to say “God bless you” when you leave each house in gratitude.
5. Donate your candy haul
Finally, it might take some coaxing to get the kids on board this idea, but encourage them to collect their candy for a cause. Many dentist offices solicit leftover Halloween candy to give to children in domestic abuse shelters or to troops stationed overseas. My family’s church collects candy donations to use as prizes for AWANA. Think of how your candy might bless someone else, and give it away. Your family’s teeth will thank you.
A few more bits of mom-to-mom advice, beyond the trick-or-treating debate…
As Christians we are to be in the world but not of the world, which for me on Halloween means setting some boundaries for what my family will and will not participate in. Here are our personal guidelines. Feel free to follow ours or create your own, based on your own convictions.
Costumes: We enjoy dressing up every year, but the rule is nothing scary, gruesome, paranormal or otherwise dishonoring to God. In other words, witches and ghosts are off limits; cops and robbers are fine. {My family dresses in a group theme every year. This year we’re all going as Bob Ross paintings. Our nine-year-old is going to be Bob Ross. She totally loves his show.}
Activities/Decor: We avoid haunted house tours, spooky parties, ghost stories and scary movies. Actually, that’s kind of a rule all year round. Plus we refrain from crafts, games, clothing or home decor involving anything ghoulish like skeletons, gravestones, severed body parts, etc. If it suggests a hellish underworld, we avoid glamorizing it. We focus on heaven instead.
Pumpkins: We DO carve or decorate pumpkins because it’s a fun family tradition, we love roasting the seeds, and my front porch appreciates the spruce up. Our pumpkin’s faces are usually goofy, not ghastly. But did you know? Pumpkin carving originated in Ireland where folks carved turnips and potatoes to ward off evil spirits. Superstitious, yes, but they weren’t inviting the evil; they were fighting against it. Sounds like you and me. Plus I’ve already told you about the pumpkin gospel story. That’s what I prefer to make our pumpkins all about.
So the moral of today’s blog post is… do what you believe God is calling you and your family to do. If you choose to avoid Halloween because of a conviction from the Lord, then by all means, stay true to His nudge. But if you avoid it because you’re afraid of it or because you’re confused about what a “good” Christian family is “supposed” to do, then spend some time in prayer over this issue and see if God is inviting you to face the evil with His love. The darker the world around us, the brighter our lights will shine. On October 31, my light is going to be inside a jack-o-lantern—and radiating from my heart into the lives of any little witches and goblins and Harry Potters (and their parents) that cross my path.
Let’s go love the world in Jesus’ name, amen?
Blessings,
Becky
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