You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. – Romans 14:22-23 NLT
Many of us have grown up with fond memories of dressing up as our favorite movie character of the day, grabbing an old pillow case, and heading out to cruise the neighborhood on a great candy hunt.
Others may look back at the holiday with fear, confusion, or even anger—believing the holiday to be in contradiction to the character of God and the morals of those who commit their lives to following Him.
Under the law of liberty (James 1:25, 2:12) with the understanding that through Christ, all things may be permissible but not all things are profitable (1 Corinthians 10:23), how can we determine if celebrating Halloween is acceptable for a Christian?
The Origins of Halloween
The origins of Halloween started over 2,000 years ago with the Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts—who lived in various areas spread throughout what is now Ireland, the UK, and France—celebrated Samhain, the Celtic New Year, on November 1.
They believed that on the night before, October 31st, the veil between the living and the dead thinned to the point that ghosts and spirits could return back to earth. In order to ward off unwanted spirits, they would light large fires and make offerings of crops and animals. Many would hide from or confuse wandering spirits by disguising themselves in animal skins and masks.
The History of Modern-Day Halloween
Our current celebration of Halloween has a much more recent inspiration. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III moved All Saint’s Day—a day to celebrate saints and martyrs—to November 1st, and declared November 2nd to be All Soul’s Day—a day to celebrate the dead.
The day before All Saint’s Day was referred to as “All Hallow’s Eve.” This would eventually be shortened to “Halloween.” It was common for poor people and children to go out on All Saint’s Day and offer prayers for the dead in exchange for food, such as “soul cakes.”
As Irish and Scottish immigrants moved to the United States, they brought many of these traditions with them. Today, many choose to carry out their festivities by continuing the traditions of the Celts, Irish, and Scottish—such as dressing up on October 31st as the Celtics once would have for Samhain, visiting neighboring houses to receive a treat.
Follow Your Convictions
It’s important to note that, while those in Christ are completely covered by the blood of Jesus and protected from the influence of darkness and evil present in this world and in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12), it is still crucial that we carefully guard and protect our hearts and minds by monitoring what we take in through them—even what we may see as a light-hearted holiday celebration.
Christians can view the holiday through the redeemed lens of All Hallow’s Eve—a day to honor the living and the dead. We don’t have to associate the fun-natured part of the holiday with origins we may not feel comfortable supporting.
However, those who aren't comfortable with or don’t believe it is right to celebrate Halloween should stay true to their personal convictions (while not making others feel bad if they feel otherwise).
Those who do feel comfortable celebrating Halloween and can enjoy the holiday while still living a God-honoring life (and don’t get lost in excessive entertainment from the dark themes of the day) should do so without guilt. It’s important that you understand everyone may not feel this way. Do your best to love others by not forcing them to feel differently about the holiday or do anything that would cause them to stumble.
The Spirit of God works in each one of us according to our faith and shows us what is best for us. Halloween is a beloved holiday by many. But for some, this season isn’t for them. And either one is okay as a Christian. It is our incredible honor and responsibility to be a light to the world. Looking at Halloween through this lens is the best way for you to determine whether or not Halloween is right for you.
