YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

Does Halloween seem like a lot of harmless fun to you? Do you get a kick out of seeing costumes - monsters, vampires, witches, werewolves, evil spirits, and ghosts - in the stores and on kids, or even adults? Do a lot of pumpkins made into jack-o'-lanterns on street corners and in front of homes say to you that a night of reveling is near?

“A common symbol of Halloween is the jack- o'-lantern (the name possibly was derived from that for a night watchman). It is a hollowed-out pumpkin carved in the appearance of a demonic face and with a lighted candle inside" ( The New Encyclopedia Britannica, pg. 862).

Is Halloween just a day when kids dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating and adults make fools of themselves wearing ridiculous costumes and getting drunk? How you may feel about this celebration could depend on where you are in this "game" of Halloween.

In the first half of the 20th century, indoor plumbing was not the norm in many a country home. Teenagers, about your age, thought it was great fun to turn over outhouses on Halloween night. Again, this depended on where you were. It wasn't a lot of fun to the person who happened to be in the outhouse when it was turned over. Fun really isn't fun if it's at someone else's expense.

Since Halloween is observed more by small children than adults, how can this be wrong for Christians? "Small children, go from house to house, often in costume, demanding ‘trick or treat' (the treat, often candy, is generally given and the trick rarely played)" (Ibid).

If you're trying to teach a child to be an honest, hardworking, responsible, giving citizen, wouldn't this be contrary to all of those good character teachings? In essence what a child is saying is, "If you don't treat me, I'll play a bad trick on you." Isn't that a form of extortion? Doubtless, the trick rarely follows when treats aren't given, but allowing kids to do this goes contrary to clear biblical teaching that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Some Christian churches celebrate Halloween with haunted houses in the church basement. Lights are turned low and kids make their way through scary shrieks and sounds as they see skeletons and ghosts coming towards them. They may even be given peeled grapes and told these are eyeballs. Is this harmless? Is this one of the holy days of God that depicts a part of His plan? Where did this day that celebrates death, evil, and the dark side come from?

"Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them" (Wikipedia).

In the autumn of the year, Mexicans hold a festival that is a mixture of indigenous Aztec and Hispanic cultures to celebrate a feast for dead children. Faces are painted black and the celebrations are accompanied by mournful funeral songs.

Many theologians say that a religion can be measured by its teaching about death. Jesus said He was the God of the living, not the dead (Matthew 22:32). We are created to live! God has "set eternity in the hearts of men." It's as though God put in man an instinct to live, and He never intended that we waste our time celebrating death. The resurrection of Christ made it possible for death, our enemy, to be conquered.

What does the Bible say about things Halloween seems to celebrate - wizards that peep and mutter, and familiar spirits? Isaiah 8:19-20says, "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

The evidence seems heavily weighted that Halloween was begun with pagan symbols and celebrations. Has Halloween changed enough over the years to the point where Christians can join in the festivities and make this celebration an honor to God? Would Jesus attend one of these parties? As it has been mentioned we are to celebrate life and not death. Philippians 4:8-9 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you" (NIV). Should you celebrate Halloween? Do what Jesus would do!