Homeschool Heather's Halloween

As a child I was not allowed to celebrate Halloween. I was raised in a Born-again Christian home and went to a Baptist church not only every Sunday, but Sunday evening, Wednesday night Bible study, and any other time the doors were open. My family attended a few different churches over the years. My father would often find a problem with the one we were attending and make us leave because it was no longer holding to the "proper standards". We even did home church for a while. Home school, home church, dominos pizza...if peapod had been around back then I doubt I would have ever left the house. 

    Some of the churches I attended had "Harvest festivals" as if they were going to trick us into thinking that we weren't missing out on all of the costumes and fun that our "worldly" friends were having. I was always told that we don't celebrate Halloween, but I never had a reason other than "It is the devil's holiday".  I never really thought about it any further until I started seeing posts on my friend's facebooks about how they were offended by the celebrations and decorations and they would not allow their children to partake in demon practices. This inspired me to look into the meaning of the traditions of Halloween. I don't mind if someone doesn't want to celebrate or partake in an event. I am however bothered when people follow their "beliefs" blindly and do not know why they are doing and why. This is what I have taken away from my research thus far:
Halloween is basically a celebration of loved ones who have passed away. It was a time to celebrate and remember them.  I do not consider death a celebration of evil. Death is a natural part of life and I feel that children should be taught about the reality of death at an early age.  Nowhere in my search did I find anything that said traditions were there to celebrate Hell, sin, nor anything negative. 

-Many Christians will not allow their children to dress up for Halloween. The tradition of people wearing costumes came about so they are not recognized by the spirits or ghosts who are believed to roam the streets that night and they do not become inhabited by them. Some Christians have told me this is ridiculous and they do not believe in ghosts. Oh? Does the Bible not refer to a person's soul as the ghost? Does the Bible not teach that the bodies of the saints in fact DID roam the streets amongst the living? Matthew 27: 50-53 "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."  

While this is not a celebration of Halloween, I find it odd to denounce the belief of All Hallows' eve, yet believe the exact same event occurred in Jesus' time.    

-Trick or Treating: My family did not believe in trick or treating, nor would we had out candy and "encourage other children to sin". Every Oct. 31 my parents, my sister, and I would sit in the back bedroom in the dark, eating pizza and watching movies so that any kids who came looking for candy would not see us. I lived in an apartment growing up and had very kind upstairs neighbors. "Uncle Fred" would come down every Nov. 1 and give me and my sister a giant bag of candy and money for All Saints day. He felt bad we missed out. I found that when the tradition began, children would go door to door reciting verses or singing and were given cakes in return for a good job. Other sources say that cakes and treats were offered to those who would say a prayer for the loved ones in that family who had passed away. Sounds like a pretty kind and Christian thing to do if you ask me. 

-Carving pumpkins: I found many articles that say the Jack o' Lantern started because Jack tricked the devil into climbing a tree, and once the devil was up there, Jack carved a cross in the base so the devil was stuck. Apparently Jack was neither allowed into Heaven nor Hell, so he must roam the earth with a candle. The candle was placed inside a turnip, and later into pumpkins so that the candle would burn longer. I would think that a tradition beginning with keeping the devil AWAY from you would be one ok with Christians. But that's just me. 

-Bobbing for apples: This was something that we were allowed to do at these Harvest festivals. But why? Because nothing was sinful or devilish about trying to eat a fruit that God created? Let's look at how THIS tradition began.  An apple represented the goddess Pomona, known for her beauty and fertility. When an apple is sliced, a natural pentagram is shown and this was believed to be a symbol of fertility. All the unmarried people would partake in the matchmaking process to see who would be favored and be the next to be married. Does the Bible not say that "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain..."? Yet this game has been played at every harvest festival I have attended. 

-Decorations and haunted graveyards: Many of my Christian friends are offended by the sights of zombies, mummies, ghosts, and graves. I do not particularly enjoy these things, I prefer to dress as a princess and decorate with adorable pumpkins, but that's just me. They say that these images will terrify their children and they don't want to subject them to these ideas. May I quote again? John 11:39-44 "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." 

Agreed, that would frighten me as well, but why teach your children that what the Bible says is true, yet the people who put mummy decorations in their yard are bringing glory to the devil? 

There are many more Halloween traditions and fun facts to research, and I have found it fascinating. After learning for myself just what the holiday was about, I decided that I would like to partake. I hosted a Halloween party this year, and my mother and sister even attended. I also went into NYC for Halloween night. I was unsure what to expect, jumping from never celebrating to going to the biggest party in the country, but it was great! No one (at least that I saw) was worshiping the devil. Most costumes were fun and happy looking. Everyone was very nice and having a good time all together. I did not feel like I was celebrating in a demonic event or mingling with evil people. 

I believe that everyone has the free will to believe what they would like. But believe it for yourself, not just because of what you were told to believe. So, after my first successful celebration, 

Happy Halloween,

<3 Homeschool Heather 

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