Why Our Family Chooses Not To Celebrate Halloween

I would love if you took a few moments to join us here as we talk about Halloween. It is a topic that some would say is controversial, while others might wonder why we don’t participate in a day filled with candy and costumes. I wanted to share a few reasons why our family chooses not to celebrate Halloween. I pray for those reading it who don’t celebrate, that you feel encouraged and know that there is a community standing with you in not celebrating. For those who love the holiday, my prayer is that you consider the roots of the holiday, consider the days we live in, and ask yourself “why” are you and your family engaging in it?  I believe that many people don’t understand the “why” or the root of the holiday’s origins. Not understanding what you are celebrating or what you are subjecting your family to is a valid reason why you celebrate. However, the purpose in life is to grow and to learn. Change is good. We hope that this blog sheds some light on a day that it otherwise innocent.

My husband grew up celebrating Halloween, just like many do. I, however, came from a family that did not recognize the holiday. It was only when I started dating that I would BEG my mother if I could go walk the streets with my boyfriend and trick or treat as a family activity. I enjoyed the evening walk, getting candy, and coordinating silly couples costumes! I thank my mom for the opportunity she gave me to make my own decision on the matter. I was seventeen, and I think she must have given up a lot of control, and started praying a whole lot when she said yes to me. I think, too, she trusted that what she instilled in me at a young age would not return void. However, as a mom now, I look back at how she let me engage in the holiday and can feel the love she showed me by not controlling me, but rather using it to teach me so that I could form my own convictions as an adult.

When my husband became born again in his teenage years, his view on the holiday began to change. We would talk about the holiday, talk about its innocence in how it was celebrated in his home growing up, and the ‘why’ behind my parents decision. We did not know much at the time, and we were very unaware of the history of the holiday. I knew a little more only because, as we got older, my dad, in his scholarly ways, would share excerpts from history on what the holiday entailed, what really happened to Christians on that day, and the demonic spirit behind it. 

It wasn’t until we had our daughter that we really came face to face with having to make a decision about HER upbringing. Was she going to be allowed to participate in the holiday, or would we as a family abstain? We think all the baby costumes are so cute, I’ve even bought them on clearance for my kids to play dress up, but when we looked at the roots of the holiday, and the spiritual war taking place, we knew that one day that celebrated evil was something we should morally abstain from. 

We live in a time when the line in the sand needs to be drawn even deeper. Our kids need to know what is good versus what is evil at age-appropriate levels. Halloween, in our eyes, promotes confusion and desensitizes children to evil. We feel strongly that engaging in the holiday subjects individuals to demonic activity, because one is willingly offering themselves up to engage in a day that is heavily spiritual.

Candy is fun, costumes are cute, but the root of it is all wrong. The enemy will often do whatever he can to normalize evil. He has even convinced the church body to engage in it. So you can imagine how we must feel knowing that even among fellow Christians, we may come across extreme. But, it’s okay. We are wholeheartedly confident in our decision, and I trust that our kids will grow up to recognize why we kept them from this specific holiday. I honestly cringe even calling it a holiday.

There’s a quote by Anton Lavey, founder of the Church of Satan, where he says in his own words, ‘I want to thank every Christian parent,’ not Buddha, not Muhammad, none of that. … ‘Every Christian parent, I want to thank them that [they] allow [their] children to celebrate the devil one night out of the year,’ which is Halloween,” He’s intentionally thanking Christian parents. “Thank you for dressing up your kids, changing their identity, sacrificing spiritually.”

My husband and I are very aware of the strongholds that we, as the next generation, are working so hard to change. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we know that our family is part of a greater story of healing and redemption. Why sacrifice that and subject ourselves, our precious children, to one day out of the year that even Satanists thank parents for participating in?

You have to ask yourself, ‘what is the purpose of celebrating this holiday?’ ‘Why do we do it?’ ‘Can we replace this holiday with an alternative?’. We don’t think instilling fear in children is edifying. We don’t think scaring people is fun. We don’t think dressing homes in gore, especially what it’s become, is glorifying to God. It really comes down to a matter of the heart. Is it hard to face this holiday every year, yes. We can’t wait for November 1st! Is it awkward to tell the community and culture we live in that we don’t celebrate, sort of. However, we know that it will all be worth it. Our kids already recognize the holiday, and they will say to me “mommy, that’s scary” or “mommy, that’s evil”. Why would I teach my children about the love of Jesus and what His word says, then confuse them by pushing a holiday on them that is filled with evil? The two just don’t go together. Simply put. Every Halloween, we put our lights on and leave some candy or a Bible tract craft for kids. One year we even set up a coffee station for parents to refuel and stay warm when walking past. We believe we are still called to be lights to our neighbors, and we will do things on Halloween as we feel led by the Holy Spirit. This year, my sister hosted us at her home, and we had a big spread of food and activities for the kids. I’d say we are still pretty fun parents even if we don’t participate in one holiday out of the year.

As parents, we go all out for the holidays that point to Christ, that are harmless traditions, and that our kids can enjoy knowing that there is no agenda behind it. For all the critics, we answer to the convictions that God puts on our hearts before we cater to the world’s opinion. Why do I write this? Chances are if you are reading this, you are interested in knowing how to drastically live set apart—that is the Maverick mentality we reinforce in most of our blogs. This blog is not intended for people who have a closed mind, but for young adults and young families who are looking at the state of our world and recognizing the need to safeguard their children at a whole different level. Remember, the more you practice living set apart as the Bible commands us to do, the easier it will become to practice it in all areas of your life, even on Halloween.

Have no fellowship with works of darkness, but rather expose them

Ephesians 5:11