Photo by gretta vosper on Unsplash
Halloween humbug
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“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” —Ephesians 5:8–9
A recent Facebook post about David Green, the founder/owner of Hobby Lobby, caught my eye. He and I share a similar view of Halloween. I could blame my Halloween humbug on my age, except for the fact that I’ve always felt this way! (It might have grown worse with age, however!)
I admire the Green family, who, like Chick-fil-A, have chosen to keep their stores closed on Sundays. The Facebook post this week reiterated his position to put his faith ahead of his profits in his life. The recent post said, “Hobby Lobby founder David Green says he walked away from more than $22 million in Halloween merchandise sales after becoming convinced that continuing to sell the products conflicted with his Christian beliefs.” There are very few people who could walk away from a $22 million profit, but the Green family knows and is committed to the One they are walking toward.
I’ve never been a fan of Halloween. I don’t like creepy, scary movies, and I don’t like skeletons with creepy, scary eyes. I was at Home Depot a few weeks ago and saw a little boy looking at a Halloween decoration, and he was terrified. Dad was trying to get him to like it, but it wasn’t working.
I especially don’t like the idea that Halloween is based on notions that have a lot more to do with Satan and the occult than with the things of God. I don’t much care for celebrating the darkness. Honestly, I am like the Scrooge of Halloween, and I just want to say “humbug” to the whole holiday.
Mine is not a popular position
According to an article from the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend a record 13.5 billion dollars on Halloween this year, up from last year’s record 13.1 billion! Apparently, I belong to the 26th percentile of Americans who don’t plan to celebrate next week.
The NRF article says, “Activities like handing out candy (61%), dressing in costume (50%), decorating their home or yard (42%), carving pumpkins (42%) and watching scary movies (42%) are the top ways consumers mark the occasion. That adds up to an average expense of $115.14 per person.”
That means Jim and I can spend $230 on a new Christmas decoration! (Let me confess I’ve already spent a bit more than that already!)
I say “humbug” for some good reasons
According to CBS News, the crime rate typically rises by 17 percent on Halloween night. The article attributes the increase to vandalism, drinking, crowds of strangers able to hide behind masks, and the fact that people are supposed to open their doors to whoever rings the doorbell that night. The holiday is no longer a time for neighborhood children to trick-or-treat in fun costumes; many use it as a way to steal from unsuspecting neighbors.
Many churches host Halloween events as a community outreach, but those events usually take place in addition to the evening of the 31st and not as a replacement for Halloween. A LOT of candy is given and consumed as a result. As a former schoolteacher, I can tell you that the day after Halloween was usually a rough day in the classroom!
Does Halloween harm?
Rhonda Robinson wrote an excellent article about Halloween for Focus on the Family. I think she offers a great position for Christians to consider about the holiday. She has personal reasons for not wanting to celebrate the holiday, just like I do. Our reasons are different, but the outcome is the same. In the end, every Christian should spend some time giving this holiday some thought. It isn’t as innocuous as the culture would like us to believe.
Spiritually, we all need to make a Halloween choice. I know it is a fun day for a lot of people, and I recognize that I am in a small minority. I have just chosen to “avoid” most things Halloween. I don’t like celebrating the darkness. Additionally, I worked in a mission for many years and learned that the vast majority of our Latino population struggles with diabetes as they grow older. That disease contributes to several other significant health issues. A doctor friend explained that their culture is not genetically able to process sugar the way ours is. The mission I worked at stopped giving out items laden with sugar as a result.
The main reason I am a Halloween humbug is the connection the holiday has with the occult. The passage that most often speaks to me is Ephesians 5:8–9. Paul told the church in Ephesus, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Whatever you choose to do with Halloween is a personal decision that should be Spirit-led. I agree with Rhonda Robinson, who said, “You, too, have the freedom in Christ to follow the conviction of your own heart through the Holy Spirit. So that, whatever your family decides, others might see Christ working through you, and you can be a light in the darkness of a fallen world.”
Halloween humbug?
I must confess, I will likely continue to say “humbug” about Halloween, but I also hope that I will give God permission to interrupt my humbug any time he chooses. I plan to stay home and ignore the holiday, but I always want to accept any changes that God wants to make to my plans. After all, Jeremiah 29:11 begins with the words: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
I hope all of you will enjoy God’s plan for your Halloween and the coming holiday season as well. All we have to do is ask the Lord for his plan, and we will. Truthfully, it isn’t because I don’t care about my neighbors, it’s because I do! I hope my “dark house” will give me the chance to carefully share my thoughts with someone who might ask. I’ll admit the Green family’s decision caused me to feel better about my Halloween humbug.
Whatever you choose to do next week, choose what the Holy Spirit has led you to do, and you will be blessed.
