5 Ideas to Make Halloween a Blessing Instead of a Curse
Halloween
Audio By Carbonatix
By Jaime Jo Wright, Crosswalk.com
'Tis the season, but not the one that brings joy and peace and sleigh bells. Instead, this is the time of year we see a plethora of ghouls and goblins, vampires and witches, horror movie characters, serial killers, and even demons and devils. It's Halloween time, and while for many that is their favorite holiday, for others, is the holiday to avoid at all costs.
I recently had a new believer ask me if it was okay to celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating, or if that was a big "no" from the Lord. It was interesting, as I considered the question, how I could come up with a variety of answers based on my own circles of believers. I was personally raised that Halloween was a night of Satan, and full-on avoidance and prayer against it was necessary. I was also taught that Halloween could be infused with the light of Christ, and that "trunk or treats"—often seen at churches—or candy and costume parties without the elements of horror—were examples of such.
How was I raised with two such conflicting positions? Because, to be frank, my parents were conflicted with the answer. I've heard arguments for each, and both can be convincing. For the sake of this article, let's take the approach that we can indeed bring the light of Jesus into what might otherwise be a dark holiday. What are the ways that can be accomplished, and what are the steps we can take as parents and as Christians, to help distinguish the light from the dark?
Here are a few fun ideas that can be incorporated into your Halloween evening at the last minute.
1. Boo Blessings
Have you been blessed on Halloween? Probably not very often. Typically, the adage is "trick," and if your response is acceptable, a "treat" is involved, but not a blessing. But you know, giving out blessings can be a great way to shed the light of Jesus into a night where miniature Frankenstein monsters are knocking on your door. A candy bar with a Bible verse or prayer attached can be a way for each child who comes to your door to literally be prayed over! Imagine, instead of locking your doors and turning out the lights, you give each soul the opportunity to be blessed by a loving God and to take away a reminder that He truly is drawing them to Himself.
2. Saints & Heroes
If your kids are engaged in stories and Halloween costumes, now is a great time to host a "Saints & Heroes" party. Invite children you know to the safety of your home and the instructions to take on the likeness of their favorite saint or hero of the faith. You can even get more in-depth if you want, and encourage each kid to prepare a brief explanation of who they represent and what the saint or hero of the faith accomplished. This is a fabulous way to give kids a safe outlet on Halloween night, still fill their buckets with candy (the number one reason they really want to trick or treat anyway), and to learn about amazing individuals who aren't going to give them nightmares. Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Apostle Paul, and Harriet Tubman, to name just a few, can make your Saints and Heroes party quite the event of amazing stories!
3. Night Lights Event
Here is another idea for welcoming trick-or-treaters to your house, their parents, your neighbors, friends from church, or your homeschool group! Instead of shutting off your lights to discourage visitors, how about decorating your home with lights? You can get strings of Christmas lights—white ones are the best for this—electric candles, tiki torches, solar lamps, and more, and make your home inviting, warm, and beautifully lit, representing the light of Christ in the darkness. Offer hot cider to those you know, or hot cocoa packets to those you don't, so they receive a sealed item and don't feel concerned by open drinks. For every cup of cider and every hot cocoa packet, stick a Bible verse sticker to the cup, or hand them out with Bible verse stickers. These are readily available and can be purchased online in advance. Give your house the atmosphere of hospitality, and a beacon in the dark.
4. Light Up Your World
This is an excellent idea for families or church groups. Light Up Your World can be an evening to gather and learn about the missionaries your church or your family supports who are taking God's light into the near and far regions of the earth. Take the time to get to know the missionaries by photograph and name. Perhaps consider preparing foods from the countries where they serve. For sure, take time to pray for the missionaries—and add persecuted Christians to your prayer list also. If you're feeling generous—and it's an excellent opportunity to teach your kiddos acts of service—donate your candy budget, or part of the budget, to a missionary of your child's choice.
5. Be a Blessing Challenge
This is another fun one and is a variation of Boo Blessings. This one involves being proactive in seeking out someone—versus having them trick-or-treat at your door—and blessing them with a kind word, a coffee shop gift card, a thank-you card, etc. Have your kids create a pile of thank-you cards for local EMTs, police officers, firefighters, and other essential personnel. Drop the cards off at the local stations with a bag of candy. Or, consider blessing your church staff with gift cards for coffee and Scripture, along with notes of encouragement for all they do. Do you have aunts and uncles you haven't seen in a while? I bet they love hearing from their nieces and nephews. Take the time to drop little bags of candy and blessings at their doors to bring a smile to them.
There are many ways that Halloween can be turned into a holiday where Christ can still be glorified and remain the central focus. On one hand, we can certainly stand opposed to it by not taking part in the Halloween period. Or, we can take on the offense and utilize opportunities to bring a different perspective to a creepy, scary, fright-filled holiday.
At the very least, if your children still want to trick or treat, and you are on the fence, consider having your kids choose costumes that aren't of the dark variety. A favorite cartoon character, someone they want to be when they grow up, something punny and cute, their favorite animal, or even have them dress up as a historical hero like George Washington or Martin Luther King.
Putting a positive perspective on Halloween will help brighten the evening. Focusing on Jesus will transform a holiday often meant for evil into something good.
Be creative, honor and glorify Jesus, and remember, be a light in a world where so much darkness and horror prevail. Even if it's just a spark of hope, it's better than none at all.
