On every Halloween night, there’s always at least one household not participating at all. Their lights are off. Not a single pumpkin is out. Everything screams “boring.” Looking into that particular empty home, hides a Christian or a whole religious family believing Halloween is the Devil’s day.   

While being a controversial holiday, many Christians wonder how they should partake in it without contradicting their faith. An appropriate approach is actually not a simple yes or no answer, but rather a free, distinct choice.

Halloween was once a pagan tradition called Samhain, celebrated by ancient Celts and Druids between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. They told fortunes, scary stories and wore costumes in an attempt to trick the evil spirits. Eventually, they were conquered by the Roman Empire in 43 AD. The Catholic Church transformed the pagan tradition into All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. These days are in remembrance of saints who modeled great faith in God. In fact, Halloween means “Hallow’s Eve” or “holy evening.”

In today’s modern world, Halloween is a fun community event with costumes and candy. But, some Christians fail to see that, which leads to unnecessary ignorance and division.

Such a diverse holiday involves Christian roots, which makes it not entirely evil. So, Christians should decide how they’ll reflect the openness of Jesus Christ based on the knowledge of the Holy Bible. 

To figure it out, personal convictions need to be identified. It says in Romans 14:5, “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.”

Not everyone will agree with each other and have the same perspectives. The purpose of this passage is to show that each person deserves their freedom to decide. For this case, Halloween can seem unholy or harmless from one’s perspective.

Speaking about perspectives, it doesn’t mean to discriminate against one another because of differences. Instead of convincing others to completely say no to Halloween, Matthew 5:6 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

This encourages believers to walk out confidently in faith, doing so, honoring God.

So, can a Christian dress up as a spooky-scary skeleton and hang out with friends trick-or-treating? Yes, if you’re not convinced of it. Just take every opportunity to spread the Gospel, in other words, hand out candy with Bible verses, prayers and tracts. If not, take the time to pray for protection and guidance over people participating in Halloween. Connect with neighbors and loved ones or give candy to patients in nursing homes. Locking yourself in is a missed opportunity to do good things on Halloween, just like any other day.

Many times, Christians get fixated on the Devil to the point that they ignore their own God. It’s understandable not to celebrate Halloween, but don’t be close-minded on that day. Remember, it’s your personal choice, but lead more into faith, not fear.