“Two-dollar shops” are full of Halloween costumes and orange and black party accompaniments. The custom of “trick or treat” that was once reserved for American movies has well and truly entered our suburbs. Many people question whether Halloween, celebrated on 31 October, is a pagan ritual and therefore should be avoided by Christians.
A few thoughts follow…
Halloween occurs on the eve of All Saints Day. In England, saints or holy people are called “hallowed”, hence the name “All Hallows” Day. The evening before All Saints became popularly known as “All Hallows’ Eve”, or even shorter, “Hallowe’en”. Traditions developed of baking special ‘soul cakes” on the eve, and people would beg for them promising to pray for the deceased relatives and friends of those who gave them a cake. These customs were probably established by the 9th Century.
So, should Christians participate in Halloween? The answer would depend on the spirit in which it is entered into. If it is a moment of teaching young people about the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls celebrated respectively on 1 and 2 November, then this could be a very useful tool to bring faith sharing and family fun together. If it is about falling in line with another calendar event that consumes our money and ends up overflowing our landfill, then perhaps Halloween is not for us.
Read more about the origins of Halloween.
Mrs Helen Smith
Head of Mission and Identity
