I’m a Christian and I like Halloween.
Several years ago, I was helping out in a kids class at church.
The lead teacher had the kids go around to each adult in the class and ask them a series of questions, including “What’s your favorite holiday?”
When the kids asked me, I said: Halloween.
The lead teacher came up to me and whispered, “Don’t you think you could at least say Christmas or Easter?”
Hmmm. No.
I love Christmas and Easter. But I have always enjoyed Halloween. I have very fond memories of the holiday — and none of those memories have anything to do with pagan worship, satan worship, or witchcraft.
Most of it has to do with dressing up as a favorite character (or, yes, even a scary monster), hanging with my friends and family, and trick-or-treating the neighborhood with my buddies. As I got into my teenage years, we threw in a few pranks. And when I got to college, we threw in … well, let’s stop there.
My grandma (on my mom’s side) always enjoyed Halloween. When I was a kid, she’d dress up every year. One year she was a can of peas. Another year she was Miss Piggy. The year she dressed as a baby was just too much! And I loved that she didn’t call a mask a mask. She called it a “false face.”
When I was really little, my other grandma would walk with me from her house in St. Louis a few blocks to my great-grandmother’s house. If it was Halloween time, we’d always pass by this one house that was decorated with cardboard cutouts of monsters. I distinctly remember this eerie Count Dracula staring out at me from the front window.
I also love being scared. Isn’t that weird? My mom loves and hates this about me. She laughs about it now, but it wasn’t too cool when I was a teenager and she’d come home to a makeshift haunted house. (One time I took all of the lightbulbs out of the sockets and the house was completely dark. She never saw me hiding around the corner — until I jumped out and scared her).
My kids like to be scared too. The other night they BEGGED for a scary bedtime story. So I told one and they were all so scared that they piled into the same bed on a school night. My wife was not happy with me.
Anyway. It’s Halloween time. People have fun on this night. Yes, crazy things happen. But I love that many churches have embraced Halloween and have provided safe places for trick-or-treating in areas where kids can’t always find a safe place to go. Last year, our church hosted over 1,200 people from the neighborhood for its annual Trunk or Treat. These events meet community needs. They are chances to reach out to neighbors and showcase your loving kindness. These are great church marketing opportunities.
Have fun. Be safe! Be the church.
How are you participating in Halloween tonight?
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