10 Dos and Dont’s For This Halloween

The topic about whether Christians should or should not celebrate Halloween has been a long and controversial one. It’s been a long and rather inconclusive debate.

On one side we have Christians who radically speak of the historic traditions of Halloween as a Celtic tradition of worshiping the “lord of death”. On another side we have Christians who say that the secular form of Halloween has now been completely transformed to a day to have fun and dress up in fun costumes.

I will not be the one to say whether Halloween is bad or good, not because I don’t have a stand, but because it will be pointless. At the end of the day, I’ll let you and God decide whether you should get in Halloween costumes this October 31st.

I do however want to share ten tips that you could follow this Halloween season:

1. Don’t let your kids eat TOO MUCH candy. I let Alex get into a non-threatening costume just so that I can have her get free candy at the mall (so I can save money on her “candy allowance”) but we have a strict rule on how much of it she can consume. The rest goes to me.
2. Do take time to discuss to your kids the implications of a spiritual realm that is beyond what the human eye can see, and tell them that Jesus has won against the spirits of darkness.
3. Don’t go for Halloween Sales. Not because there’s a spirit behind Halloween purchases, but because there’s a spirit behind the deception of buying things you don’t need just because they’re “10% off”.
4. Do take the holiday if you’re office says they’re closing working hours for the celebrations. Don’t over-mysticize. A holiday is a holiday, and you can use it to read your Bible and spend time with your family.
5. Don’t refuse a Halloween dinner. Free dinner is still free dinner.
6. Do use the theme to also explain to your kids that there is no monster in their closet. If they’re at the proper age, you can tell them about how there are dark principalities, but that God has sent angels who are much stronger to protect you.
7. Don’t watch horror movies. I strongly disapprove of them because I used to watch them. It just annoyed my parents because I would wake up crying in the middle of the night because I was scared.
8. Do refrain from judging your church mates just because they let their kids trick or treat, even if you don’t approve of it.
9. Don’t make pumpkin lanterns. They’re fire hazards.
10. Do pray for guidance for those who do celebrate Halloween, that they will never go beyond just sweets and costumes.