Halloween

Susan and I had a fun time at our daughter's home on Halloween. Here's a picture of our 6 grandkids getting ready to go out and do their Trick or Treating. (Fortunately they got lots of treats and didn't encounter any tricks-except from Papa) It was freezing cold, but a gloriously beautiful evening, as our grandchildren cruised the neighbourhood with their dads. Grandma and I held the fort at one house and Susan gave out treats at Kelly and Tom's home. The best part came when the kiddies returned and shared their many goodies with Nana and Papa.

I've included the article that I wrote for the Tri-city News about Halloween. I was suprised by the very positive response from several readers, and not one negative. I know that many Christians have a problem with the celebration, but we've always taught our children to keep looking for the good in things rather than the evil.

Halloween
October 29, 2006

A couple of days ago I was asking a young child what she was going to dress up as on Halloween. Her mother interrupted our conversation, saying “We don’t celebrate Halloween—it’s an evil day.”

I wasn’t surprised by her reaction and I certainly respected her opinion, but I myself have some very positive memories of Halloween. I’ll tell you why I like it, but keep in mind that we each are entitled to our own thoughts. I am not ignorant of some of the dark history behind some of our Halloween customs.

During my growing up years; in the years our own children were being reared and with our grandchildren, we’ve celebrated the fun of Halloween evening. As a young parent, as well as a young pastor, I used to take our girls along with a half a dozen other dads and their kids, door to door for the traditional handout of treats.

In truth Halloween was the best time of bonding that I ever enjoyed with our neighbours. We’d laugh together, enjoy the fantasy costumes (we always avoided dressing as demons, monsters and spooks—princesses, cartoon animals were our costumes of choice) set off colourful fireworks as families, and then go home and divvy up the candy and apples among the four of us.

Later, most of those same neighbours eventually became part of our church family. Our friendships were strengthened partly in the Halloween season.

But what about the pagan roots of Halloween? Doesn’t it go back to the time of the Druids, where they celebrated death, demons and the like?

I really don’t know. I’ve read at least six or seven differing accounts of the roots of Halloween—some very dark and others as innocent as the celebration of a new year. We do know that the Roman Catholic Church “sprinkled holy water on” (or Christianized) many of the pagan festivals from pre-Christian times. Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter are all holidays that began as Christianized pagan celebrations.

When Emperor Constantine took power as the leader of the European world in the fourth century, he knew that he could not stop people from celebrating, so he laid out Christian events and values and substituted them for the high festivals that preceded then. Sanhain (Celtic New Year) became Halloween, the evening before All Saints Day when we honour those who died for their faith. Lupercalia became St. Valentine’s Day, a time to spread love and joy to those we value most. Eostre (worship of the goddess of fertility) became Easter, a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. And the Winter Solistice pagan festival of lights with its drunken parties, became the holy day of Christmas when we would celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus.

As for Halloween, besides being a great time to say thank you for those who’ve laid down their lives for us and given us freedom to worship, it is also a good time to practice Christian hospitality. An ancient homeowner would never consider not giving generously to anyone who knocked on his door—why should we?

And what child doesn’t love using his imagination and playing dress up? I don’t know any.

Lock your doors and turn off your lights if you choose, but as for us, we will focus on the light, rather than the darkness. Have fun, enjoy your neighbourhood children, and be safe this Halloween.