Small hands will soon be knocking on our new yellow door, as they clutch half-filled buckets of sweets and fidget excitedly with their colourful costumes. The nights are closing in, there’s a chill in the air, and pumpkins are spilling out of supermarkets. Halloween is on its way!
We’ve lived in Reading for 14 years, but we’ve never had any trick-or-treaters. Living in a top-floor flat for most of that time meant we never had to bulk-buy chocolate bars or carve out the guts of a fresh pumpkin to make room for a candle. Now, living in our first ever house, we’re excited about the opportunity that Halloween brings.
A chance to be generous
The child stood on your porch in their spider costume – with eight black, floppy legs and two hungry eyes – holds an empty bucket full of expectation. At the very least, there’s an assumption that the adult who opens the door will have a tub of Haribo or Celebrations, ready to give a handful and a smile.
There’s a cost involved …
I can’t speak for everyone, but I get the impression that sweets are often given reluctantly on Halloween. There’s a cost involved; you have to remember to go to the shops in good time, spend money on something you won’t get to enjoy yourself, and give it away to people you don’t know simply because they knocked on your door and asked for (some might say, demanded) it.
Like that child, both Jan and I stood at the door to Jesus when we were younger and knocked, with hearts empty but full of hope. The door opened, and he filled our hearts to bursting with the generosity and love only he could provide. It wasn’t a reluctant handful of goodness, he tipped the box upside down and it still hasn’t emptied. He was happy to pay the cost – and trust me, it was expensive!
I want to be known as the crazy generous house that they can’t wait to get to each year!
I want our first Halloween, and all moving forwards, to be a reflection of the generosity we’ve been shown. While I think it’s wonderful that people buy tubs of sweets to freely give away handfuls, I want to give more. I want to be known as the crazy generous house that they can’t wait to get to each year, where they’re given full-sized chocolate bars, glow sticks, scratch bookmarks, stickers, and any other suggestions you might have for us! Why? Not because they’re deserving of it, but because we love them and we want them to see Jesus through our generosity.
A way to meet our neighbours
Our world can be so closed off sometimes. We shut ourself away, especially in the darker months, and only interact with those in our social bubbles. It’s hard to get to know your neighbours, but this is literally one day out of the year when your neighbours come knocking on your door!
I know they’re only there for sweets, but I don’t see why we also can’t have a quick conversation on the doorstep with the parents. ‘Hi, I’m Sarah, I’ve just moved here with my husband. / How long have you lived in the area? / Oh I love your little’s boys costume, did you make it? / Are you involved in any local groups/clubs? / If you’d ever like to pop round for a cuppa you’d be very welcome.’ etc. (By the way, I’m terrible at conversation, which is why I write, but I’m still excited about getting to recognise local people to say hello to in the street and perhaps letting that grow into friendships.)
A gospel opportunity
Along with the other goodies, I’m planning to give away two activity/story leaflets for the children: ‘The Ghost That Wasn’t a Ghost‘ and ‘A Friend in the Dark‘.
… a way of sharing something good and wonderful on a day when people are celebrating things that are evil and scary.
These have been hugely popular with Christians at Halloween, and I know people who have used these as a way of sharing something good and wonderful on a day when people are celebrating things that are evil and scary. If you want to get some, I’d recommend ordering them early to make sure they’re delivered in good time!
Some Christians give out the leaflets without any sweets or chocolate. While the intention is full-hearted and those people are trying to keep themselves distanced from a tradition that they don’t agree with, children and families won’t understand the reasoning behind that. It could come across as quite cold, disconnected and judgemental. I would suggest that being generous alongside your gospel intention doesn’t mean you’re engaging with the tradition, but that you’re practically showing the love and hope that you preach. Isn’t that what Jesus did when he stepped into a dark world?
Be the light!
You’ll notice that I’ve got this far without really addressing some of the issues that Christians have with Halloween, and that’s partly intentional. There are lots of other articles online that explore the history of Halloween and what it celebrates, and whether it’s ‘right’ for Christians to participate in the traditions or not. I expect a lot of that comes down to your own conscience. Personally, I have never gone trick-or-treating or attended a Halloween party, but at the same time I enjoy dressing up, fantasy books and movies (magic, vampires, demogorgons etc.), thrillers, heavy metal and rock music …and I’m currently tapping away on my keyboard with long black nails!
A lot of good and enjoyment can be found in those things, but at the same time there is genuine darkness in our world that we need to be afraid of.
… there is genuine darkness in our world that we need to be afraid of.
A friend of mine is a police officer, and he reminded me that there is fear in our communities around Halloween. Anti-social behaviour increases (including mindless criminal damage to vehicles, street signs, and property), and the elderly and vulnerable feel anxious at the thought of a stranger knocking on their door in the dark. Those who have experienced assault in the past might be afraid of who is lurking in the shadows, ready to jump out and scare them, and they don’t feel safe leaving their homes.
Our world is pretty dark, so let’s be the light!
It’s a dim reflection of the state of our world; there are people hiding in the shadows intent on causing harm, there is criminal activity, there is fear. Not to mention war, hunger, poverty, natural disasters, domestic abuse, murder, fraud, disease, greed, people trafficking … the list goes on. Our world is pretty dark, so let’s be the light!
Here are a couple of verses from the Bible:
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
Just like Jesus, we can be a light in the darkness on a day like Halloween.
Just like Jesus, we can be a light in the darkness on a day like Halloween. A lot of churches host ‘light parties’ for that exact reason, and they’re absolutely brilliant (pun intended)! I’ve been involved in a few light parties, and I love that they are so full of joy and celebration because Jesus defeated the darkness once and for all. (I created a Spotify playlist all about light if you want to listen to it or use it at your church light party.)
We can show light in our own ways, whether that’s being extra generous with sweets, helping to organise a light party, or being there for our elderly and vulnerable neighbours who might be feeling on edge. Maybe you could invite neighbours round for the evening so that no-one is alone and they can feel safe together in your home, and have one designated person to answer the door to any trick-or-treaters with a smile.
Credit where credit is due
I have to say, I was inspired to write this article based on something that Jimmy Needham and his wife, Kelly, wrote a few years ago, called ‘Redeem Halloween‘ (Read it! It’s probably a lot better than mine.) I read it when it was first posted and the message of it has stuck with me all this time. They then wrote ‘A Light in the Darkness: An Update on Redeem Halloween‘ as a follow-up a few years later. Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement, Jimmy & Kelly! I’m excited to put it into practice for the first time this year, and I hope this has been helpful for others to think through how they engage with this holiday.
Carving pumpkins
I’m looking forward to our first Halloween where we can shine bright to our neighbours and for Jesus. I can’t wait to be extra generous, and I may even carve the guts out of a pumpkin or two!
0 Comments