Halloween At Our House

For years we told our children that we don't "do" Halloween.  That was enough for them.  They didn't really care.  I think they figured the only thing they were missing out on was candy.  I was very careful to make "harvest foods" that still allowed them to enjoy the season and have some sweet treats too!

This year, though the two older girls {ages almost 10 and 8} have been asking about it all.  They know Christian friends, who like us don't celebrate Halloween and they know Christian friends who do.   The other night on the way home from church the topic came up.  They wanted to know why certain people celebrate it if it's so wrong.

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I had to explain to them that  #1 - What they do is not our business.  We do what we feel is right and good, and we are not to "play God" and judge others for what they do or don't do.  They, more than likely, have other "standards" that we don't and, therefore, we each will answer to God for the decisions and the choices that we have made.  We will not answer for anyone but ourselves. 

#2 - We don't celebrate Halloween because it's the "Devil's Day".  My children often refer to it as this because they've heard us do so and not because they know the history behind it all.  Given their ages, I was careful not to say anything that would scare them, but I did tell them about the very first "Trick or Treaters", namely the Druids.

According to Pastor David J. Meyer, who is a former astrologer and occultist,  "As darkness set in on October 31st, the clan of Druids would put on their white robes and hoods. They would carry sickles and Celtic crosses as they began a torchlight procession. At the beginning of the procession, a male slave was killed and dragged by a rope fastened to his left ankle. The Druids would walk until they came to a house or a village where they shouted the equivalent of “trick or treat.” The treat was a slave girl or any female to be given to the Druids. If the people refused to a girl as a “treat”, blood was taken from the dead slave and used to draw a hexagram or six-pointed star on the door or wall of the village. Spirits of the “horned hunter of the night” were invoked by the Druids to kill someone in that house or village by fear that night."   

You can read more of what he has to say here.  And he does have plenty to say. 

After we discussed the darkness behind Halloween, we talked for at least an hour about the power of God and how He keeps us safe from these things.  We talked about the love of God and His protection on His children.  We talked about different miracles that God has done for missionaries that we've read about and even miracles that He's done for us.  It was such a good talk - and a long one!  It started in the van on the way home and ended in the bed room of my oldest daughter about an hour and half later.  By the time we went to bed we were all laughing and happy to think that the God of the Bible is our God too!! 

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So, you're probably wondering what we do on Halloween night??  Here it is:

We usually go out on the town - eat out, do something fun.  It's actually a great night for family fun because everyone else is roaming the streets in search of treats and we're getting into restaurants without waiting!!  :)  We leave our house dark, no lights on inside, no porch lights.  I have friends that give out tracts or invitations to church along with candy on Halloween night and that's fine if that's what you chose to do, but I'd rather just not have anything at all to do with it.  :) 

Other fun "Harvest Time" ideas:

1. Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
2. Caramel Apples
3. Apple Cider
4. Hot Chocolate
5. Funnel Cake 
6. S'mores
7. Roasted Hot Dogs
8. Potato Candy
9. Harvest Cookies 
10.  A Chilli Cook-Off

There are so many fun thing to do around this time of year!  Autumn really is one of my FAVORITE times of year!!  But, we don't have to spend it celebrating darkness and evil.  Let's spend this Fall praising God for His goodness in the beauty we see around us, for giving us 4 seasons to enjoy, and for allowing us to know the truth behind this day we call Halloween so that we can know better how NOT to celebrate it.   

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