Remembering Halloween—and Making Room for Different Convictions

When I think about Halloween, I think about pulling my children in a wagon.

I think about costumes, trick-or-treating, and the excitement of going from place to place collecting candy.

As they got older, we would head downtown dressed for the occasion. My boys were Spider-Man and Superman, and my daughter was always a princess.

Apparently, saving the world and being royalty were serious business in our household.

Those are happy memories for me.

We were spending time together. My children were enjoying the chance to become their favorite characters, and I was enjoying being their mama.

Now my children are grown, and they still celebrate Halloween. Those wagon rides and trips downtown remain some of my sweetest memories of their childhood.

I can remember them fondly without expecting my children to recreate them with their own families.

For some Christian families, though, Halloween raises questions about faith and participation. Reading a reflection by Rev. Dr. James A. Keeton, Jr. encouraged me to explore those questions and learn more about the holiday’s history

Should we celebrate Halloween?

A reflection by Rev. Dr. James A. Keeton, Jr., titled “Should We Celebrate Halloween?” encouraged me to think more carefully about that question. He shared childhood memories of dressing up and reminded readers to seek understanding when making decisions about the holiday.

That invitation to understand matters.

The name Halloween comes from All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before All Saints’ Day. Its broader history brings together Christian observances, older Celtic traditions, folklore, and customs that changed as they traveled across communities and generations.

There is more to its history than a costume aisle or a frightening movie.

Still, learning where a tradition comes from does not automatically settle what every family should do with it today.

Christians approach this differently.

Some choose not to participate because of their convictions about the holiday and its associations. Others are comfortable with costumes, candy, and neighborhood activities while choosing to avoid elements that conflict with their beliefs.

Each household has decisions to make.

What are we participating in?

What meaning are we giving it?

What are we teaching our children?

Are we comfortable with the activities we have chosen?

Those questions deserve thoughtful answers.

I would also hope we can discuss them without questioning one another’s love for God simply because our decisions differ.

A parent who declines an invitation deserves respect.

A parent who takes a little superhero trick-or-treating deserves the opportunity to explain what that evening means in their home.

We can listen before assuming.

For me, Halloween holds memories of my children when they were small enough to ride in that wagon. When dressing up was exciting. When we could spend an evening together doing something simple.

Looking back, I don’t remember it as a complicated theological statement.

I remember my family.

That does not answer every question someone might have about Halloween. It tells the truth about my experience.

And my adult children get to consider their own experiences, beliefs, and responsibilities as they decide what belongs in their homes.

That is part of watching them grow up, too.

We teach our children to think, pray, and make decisions. Eventually, they will make some decisions we would not have made.

Can we leave room for that?

Can we enjoy the memories we share without requiring everyone to remember them in exactly the same way?

I hope so.

Thinking out loud…

Rev. Dr. Keeton’s reflection brought me back to the importance of seeking understanding. I want to carry that into conversations with people whose convictions differ from mine.

I can ask questions with curiosity.

I can explain my perspective without demanding agreement.

And I can respect a boundary without treating it as a rejection of the love behind an old family tradition.

My children may choose different traditions now.

I still have the memory of a wagon, two superheroes, and a little princess.

And I am grateful I got to be there.