I Have A Secret…

Halloween can be a tricky subject in Christian circles.

For every Christian who enjoys all things spooky this time of year, there are four more who tsk-tsk the celebration of the “devil’s day.”

Now, before we go any further, I want to clarify: it is completely fine if you and/or your family choose not to celebrate Halloween. I believe we all must listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives and, using His guidance, make choices about what we will watch, eat, drink, or partake in. So please, please do not misunderstand me. If Halloween is just not something you “do”, that’s okay.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Halloween is my favorite holiday.

There, I said. The cat is out of the bag.

I love Halloween.

Now, I realize that I may have just lost half of my Christian audience. But please, hear me out. Does Halloween have some pagan roots that do not line up with the Bible? Yep. And I agree that there are some practices and traditions this time of year that are downright demonic. But, when I talk about loving Halloween, I’m not talking about pulling out Ouija boards or dabbling in the occult. I’m talking about dressing up in costumes, carving pumpkins, and stealing the Reese’s out of my kids’ trick-or-treat bags.

Most of all, though, I’m talking about spending time with my neighbors.

I live in a military town and so the people around me are always in a state of flux. There is constant movement in and out of our neighborhood. Some people are here for 6 years, others only 6 months. It can be very hard to get to know people in such a short, always in motion time-frame.

Which is why Halloween is so wonderful.

Because we live in southern New Mexico, the weather usually hits peak perfection around the end of October. Therefore, most of the people in my neighborhood camp out in their driveways and pass out candy from large, pumpkin-shaped buckets. We live in cul-de-sac so we take it a step further–we drag a communal fire pit into the center of the cul-de-sac, pull out some lawn chairs and a bluetooth speaker, pool our candy stash, and make our circle a one-stop-shop for all the costumed kiddos that come for a visit. It’s a fantastic time to chat with old neighbors, meet new ones, and bond after a long hot summer where most of the neighborhood remains huddled inside their air-conditioned homes.

If I chose to retreat inside my home, close the blinds, and not participate in this yearly tradition, can you imagine the “God” opportunities I might be missing?

I could invite a new family who has just moved in to church. I could recommend some Christian books to a neighbor who brings up her TBR list. I could offer words of encouragement to that neighbor who mentions a struggle he/she is having. I could also–and this is my FAVORITE thing to do–put notes of truth inside every candy bag I pass out so I know that, if nothing else, each and every child comes away from my house with a note letting them know how much Jesus loves them (and candy of course…I never forget the candy!)

We all lead us busy, transient lives in my neighborhood, but Halloween is the one chance we have to come together as a community. And, for me, it’s the one chance I have at building relationships with people who might never have met (or wanted to meet) a Christian in real life. And, while I absolutely believe Jesus can do amazing things in people’s hearts without my intervention, I also know that I have the honor, privilege, and responsibility of partnering with Him to bring His kingdom to earth.

But it all has to start with connection. People may reject the Christianity they see online or hear about through gossip chains. But it’s a whole lot harder to reject it in the friend you made while roasting s’mores over a neighborhood fire pit.

And that’s why I love Halloween so much. The darkest night of the year is the perfect time to shine the light of Jesus.

It is right for Christians to be wise about what we participate in. In fact, the Bible calls us to use discernment regarding all of our choices. But we must remember that our God is a God who redeems. If He can bring the dead back to life, surely He can use a holiday with unsavory roots to bring people to Him (through us!). We don’t have to cower in fear, and we don’t have to be the neighborhood party poopers who turn away children simply looking for some candy. When someone tells me that Halloween is “devil’s day,” I am quick to respond: “The devil doesn’t get a day. They all belong to Jesus.”

And that includes Halloween.

So, if the Holy Spirit prompts you, get out there and be the light. Connect with your neighbors. Pass out full-size candy bars. Dress in your goofiest costume. Have fun. Spread joy.

Spread Jesus.

Just make sure you send all the Reese’s cups to me.