Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Halloween has only become a big deal in Australia over the last few decades. As a boy growing up, it barely rated a mention, except through the ever present American TV shows. In Australia, it was generally ignored, considered irrelevant.

Recently in a quick trip to my local Woolworth store, I was surprised to see a big crate of oversized orange pumpkins. In America, Halloween is now the second biggest commercial holiday, only behind Christmas. I don’t know that we are at that point yet, but clearly retailers are pushing the band wagon.

The promotion of the dark side of the spiritual realm raises the question, should christians celebrate Halloween. It is not a simple question to answer definitively, but on reflection, the answer is “No.”

The Origins of Halloween

Halloween has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain. This festival marked the changing seasons and the descent into winter. Winter was seen as a season of death, because in the places where the Celts lived, plants did not grow , animals hibernated or moved to warmer places.

It was the beginning of the Celtic year and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves.

In 837 Pope Gregory III named November 1st as All Saints Day, a day to celebrate al the saints who have reached eternal life in heaven. All Saints Day was also known as All Hallows Day and the night before became known as Hallows Eve or Halloween. In Christian Europe it was a time to reflect on the character of the great saints.

The pagan beliefs and practices never died out completely. With the decline of christianity as a cultural force in much of the West, it is not surprising that Halloween has been reinvented as a season to celebrate the dark side of spirituality.

Our Response to Halloween

The starting point for a christian response to Halloween is to recognise that the spirit realm is real- demons are real, witchcraft is real, spiritism is real.

In the past the church has responded to cultural forces such as Samhain by christianising them, that is appropriating them and converting them to a christian purpose. As the light of the gospel is being rejected by our culture, the darkness of Halloween is gaining ground. The old approach of appropriation no longer applies.

Some argue that christians should be shining the light of the gospel at this time of the year. How that can be done varies from place to place. In parts of the USA the main focus on Halloween is not the spooks but on fancy dress and parties. Clearly christians can and should be involved in being light in these situations.

Some churches, again in the USA, opt to produce other Halloween celebrations that are more in line with the gospel.

However where people are asked to celebrate the occult in any form, christians should generally not be present. Not only are these things unhelpful, they can lead to demonic oppression by participating in things that the Lord has specifically forbidden.

In 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 we read: “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?”

The celebration of Halloween presents just one more opportunity (or challenge) for the believer to be in the world but not of the world.