Is it Okay to Celebrate Halloween?

Hi, I am commenting on whether or not Halloween should be celebrated. First off, I am mormon by practice and baptism by the Scotch Plains Ward in New Jersey, now attending the Nazareth Ward in P.A. My opinion about Halloween is that it’s a time when kids can dress up and portray as goons and goblins, monsters, etc. and either get frightened by the same or be rewarded with candy because of how scary, or evil their costume looks. But is this the message that we want to send to kids? That it’s o.k. to be scared of the evil goblin or the deceitful monster, and if they dress up to be a demon or an angel they will be rewarded with something that we can buy from the store for a sweet tooth. Just think would God allow his only begotten son Jesus Christ at a young age out as a monster or a pixie to trick for a treat. I personnally don’t think so. That’s my opinion on Halloween. God Bless!

This is exactly what I asked my wife when I was called to be the Ward “Activities Committee Chairman,” (and shortly thereafter asked to organize a Trunk or Treat party).
Though born of Goodly Parents, and LDS from birth, I spent 20 years after baptism “finding myself” as well as my true religion. I would say the same things about Halloween (that it was not developed as an evil holiday, it is just for fun, etc), and laugh at the ‘kooky religious fanatics’ that tried to tell me that Halloween is satan’s only holiday that is officially recognized, approved, and encouraged. Though it may have not started as an evil recognition, like many of our “real” holidays, it has morphed itself into what the adversary wants it to be: an excuse for us to sin, and teach our kids to do the same.
I guess what I ask myself as this day comes up, is this:
Does pretending to steal, murder, rape, whore, and sin make it okay, just because it is only for 1 day?
By shedding our righteousness and armor against evil for one day per year make us more protected from falling into the depths of satans grasp. Or do we crave his attention so much MORE than our Savior’s, that we rationalize it as “Just one day,” and risk our salvation by tempting God, when we KNOW what is right and what is wrong?

I personally feel that no matter what the world at large does, it is up to us Saints that have been shown the true and COMPLETE Gospel, to turn our backs on such an openly unholy day.
The leaders of our Church have never openly condemned Halloween fun and games–Does anyone ponder that it may be because the Lord considers it to be a question of Agency…so He hasn’t told our Prophet? (a question we already KNOW the answer to, so we have to make the personal decision which way to choose).

Halloween, like other holidays, becomes perverted for the few at the expense of many. My children enjoy Halloween kept in it’s proper context as a harvest festival whose origins lie in the customs of the ancient Celtic peoples.
Our Irish heritage is celebrated at Halloween in remembering our ancestors in stories and pictures and honouring them at a special meal. We carve jack-o-lanterns and give out treats to the little ones that come calling. My girls do not wear costumes that are morbid, violent, seductive or vulgar. They wear fun costumes and go trick or treating only where we know the neighborhood.
Yes, I agree we must all make an informed decision regarding this holiday but to make an informed decision one must be educated to the facts regarding Halloween as to recognize the misinformation. For example…Halloween has never been “Satan’s” holiday…perhaps there are some misguided people who pervert it for that purpose, but it is not based in truth. Education is the key to understanding and eliminating irrational fears.

Let’s celebrate Halloween for the right reasons rather than condemning it for the wrong!

In Christ Jesus,
~Inion

Granted it may be wise to use caution with Halloween, we should not become hard line extremist, either. Like the previous commentors have said, Halloween originated as an amalgam of harvest festivals from North European countries, particularly Ireland and the U.K. It was not meant to become what Hollywood has made out of it today. We let our kids participate, but we try to keep it positive, without any harmful themes. We emphasize the fun, rather than the scare. We let them choose their costume, but we don’t allow masks and we use it as an opportunity to teach them church standards of dress. We also tell them that their ancestors used the holiday to take courage against things they were afraid of. I believe that positive things can still be achieved using the holiday, without becoming sour-puss extremists.

Any holiday can become changed from a good to celebration to a not so good one. For example Christmas can become a commercialized frenzy in our homes, if we let it. Easter can become a celebration of the easter bunny rather than of the Resurrection. Similarly Halloween can be a positive experience or a negative one. We must simply keep a good spirit about it and as always avoid demonic type costumes and activities.

When I was on my mission we had a Halloween party for the zone I was in. We just spent a couple of hours playing a few games.

First off I would like to point out that I am not a Mormon, but I am interested in all of theology. I would like to say about what I have learnt.
That is Halloween (or Samhain pronounced sow-in)and is very much like the Mexican holiday celebrating their loved ones who have passed. Lighting jack ‘o’ lanterns to help guide their loved ones who have passed, wearing mask’s so the loved ones can walk around with the living without scaring people.
To speak of it as being the devils only holiday is due to the fact that it is very much celebrated among witchcraft/wicca/paganism and most/if not all nature based religions. In which they do not belive in the devil, and have been known to celebrate and worship duel deitys (male&female)the two common ones are the triple Goddess and the Horned God (hence where the devil aspect comes into it.
And yes I do agree that Hollywood (if not all of America) has demonised this holiday with trick and treats etc etc…..

in all the Halloween comments that I have read so far none of them refers to All Hallows Day or All Hallows Eve/ning i.e. the day before All Hallows Day – http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html

You only use cartoon ghosts — at church — isn’t that sweet. Halloween should not be celebrated at church. It originated from pagans. We are to be separate from the world.

wow i learned allot from reading your comments.especialy from “sam” and “nancy”. sam pointed out the celebration of the dead family members finding there way home “the ghost and pumkins” and nancy strait up condemmed it without second thaught in ignorance. i love open discussions like this ,sheds light on the truth.

For the record, I’m a Southern Baptist and I don’t believe having fun on Halloween in a safe and positive manner is a problem.

That said, I do have a question for all of you who believe that Halloween should not ever be celebrated/enjoyed by any Christian:

At Christmas time, do you have a decorated Christmas tree in your house?

To the best of my knowledge, the decoration of trees was originally a pagan custom that was adopted. I’ve never seen any reference to decorating trees in the Bible. However, we all have our Christmas trees. If you’re going to take a hard line against items with pagan origins, shouldn’t the tree be included in the forbidden list? If you’re okay with the tree because we’ve managed to adopt it so that it’s no longer tied to it’s original use, why can’t we do the same with a holiday where kids get to dress up, share some time together, get some candy and play some games?

Actually – it makes sense that many mormons would find the issue subjective or arrive at the conclusion that it is not evil at all to celebrate halloween. If you can accept Joseph Smith’s heretical doctrines and revelations – but most of all behavior…then certainly taking time to practice idolatry on a day dedicated to paganism shouldn’t be a stretch for you.

Meanwhile though, the exhortations from 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 have not expired, there is no statue of limitations regarding the encouragement that the Corinthians were receiving in that passage regarding separating, forsaking, distancing and fleeing from idolatry.

1Co 10:20
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

1Co 10:21
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

Halloween was once a religious holiday, to cleanse ourselves of evil spirits not bring them in.

In fact if you were to break up what halloween used to be called it would be holy evening. So it has almost nothing to do with the devil unless you make it that way.

One year I saw my beautiful and cute little 3 year old grandson going trick and treating dressed up as Dracula with blood painted down his mouth. I went home and cried! Life is hard enough for our kids without subjecting them to the horrors of goblins, monsters, skeletons and similar ghoulish figures.

This is interesting in that posts have continued over six years now! Just wanted to give 3 ways I costumed my kids at Halloween:

Girl: Marian, the sister of little baby Moses. Dress Marian in appropriate Egyptian slave dress and a baby doll of appropriate size is little baby Moses and goes into a wicker basket. This basket doubles as a great basket to carry Halloween candy!

Boy: Joseph wearing his coat of many colors. I found some material with colorful stripes for his “coat.” (Actually, I made a simple cape–a big square gathered at the neck and tied by sewing a long strip at the top). Since this is a choking hazard, you may wish to modify this, but the kid is fine.

Boy: Nephi with his bow and arrow. You can still find toy bows with sticks, can’t you? Usually where you would find Indian-style toys like tom-toms. If not, you’ll have to make your own. I found a really cheesy brown vinyl jacket in a small size at a yard sale and cut it up for a vest, wristlets and headgear. Fringe on the wristlets and vest hangs and moves around and looks cool. A t-shirt with polyester “fluff” underneath in the shoulders will make your little boy into a real muscle-man. I sewed the name, “Nephi” onto the headgear to give everyone a clue as to who he is.

Later, when the kids get old enough to want the scary stuff, I bribe them to stay home (after Trunk-or-Treat is finished, of course!) with all the candy they want. Saves a lot not to get stupid costumes any more!

I do take my kids trick or treating for Halloween and we always try to think of a good theme for our dress up…like hillbilly’s or a family of dogs…as I have also seen families all dressed up as the characters in the Wizard of Oz or the Jettsons. We usually go trick or treating at around 4:00 or 5:00 and have always gotten very possitive feedback from other families, hopefully setting an example that shows you do not HAVE TO dress scary for this day, and we usually get home by 7 or 8 pm. We also use this month to make cookies and treats for our neighbors, friends and family. We have always enjoyed a fun spirit during this holliday, not because of the holliday itself…but because of how we choose to celebrate it. And I don’t think that Jesus would be offended by what we do, because our heart is in the right place. And that is why I believe this is a personal choice, because each of our hearts are different. I love to mingle with my brothers and sisters around the world, members or non members, all year round

I’m a member of the church and have always questioned why do church leaders allow worldly practices to be celebrated in church grounds, don’t get me wrong I’m mot condeming or critizicing anyone, but this practice is not biblical or anywhere in the book of mormon, D&C, sugests that we celebrated so, in my humble opinion it is not a festivity that helps us spiritually, I know it’s a matter of making our own decisions but…there’s a very thin line good and bad.

There is nothing particularly wrong with dressing up for Halloween. Doesn’t every home have a chest of dress-ups meant to encourage creativity and imagination? And as far as the traditions go, spending time with family and creating wholesome memories will always be heaven approved. Satan loves to take good things and twist them to evil… Having fun dressing up is good, dressing up like a prostitute, not so good. Keeping the Spirit in your home regardless of the holiday, good, becoming a fun sucking zealot, not so good.

Like it or not, I’m sticking to that which built lasting memories for my childhood. There’s that forgotten word again, Childhood. I miss the pumpkin patch, scares from neighbors who rewarded you with awesome candy, bobbing for apples, and Halloween parties.

What Halloween Should Be: Probably the best example of how to celebrate Halloween is It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It sounds corny, but it really fits. Somehow, that episode has aired for 33 years. It’s the whole “package” that makes Halloween special.

Too Many Reactions: It seems that fewer of our more conservative parents and grandparents took it as an evil than we do today. Most people simply enjoyed the celebration with their community.

Trunk or Treat: It lacks the meat. Run to the church, get candy, gone in 30 minutes flat. What a way to celebrate 7 months of hard work in the garden. I’m a Chief Financial Officer, but I garden a lot. So, if you’re thinking I’m not busy, think again.

To give my children their “childhood,” I’m sticking to the simple fun of our parents day. We’re harvesting this fall, watching Linus wait for the Great Pumpkin, and going out to houses with my daughter dressed up as a goblin or cute bug.

What do you do if Halloween is on a Sunday?? Personally, I feel like keeping the sabbath day holy is always more important than a holiday that’s not religious anyways. Just wondering what others say.

I’ve known many wards that hold a Halloween activity on the previous Friday or Saturday when the holiday falls on the Sabbath. Yes, keeping the Sabbath Day holy is extremely important- it is one of the basic 10 Commandments.

This will be my 3rd year as Activities Committee Chairman. I am not a scary Halloween-type person at all…my parents were very strict with Halloween when I was growing up, to the point where we really didn’t celebrate it by the time I was 11 or 12. I always felt like I missed out, so I do celebrate with with my family, in a fun and innocent way. My kids usually dress us as animals or a superhero. As far as the ward activity goes, our bishop sees this as a HUGE missionary opportunity, because there a quite a few families that bring non-member friends. It is a great opportunity for us to show that we love spending time both as families and as a ward family. I do not allow any scary costumes or masks, any that show up like that are asked to take them off, due to the amount of small children there. We do try to keep it to a Harvest theme, but we always hold it on the Friday before Halloween. It is a great success every year, and I don’t feel like it is inappropriate at all to hold it at the church. I would much rather provide a happy, safe place for my children and others to celebrate in a non-scary way.

Halloween is supposed to be fun. Whoever decided that it was a night of evil is just flat wrong. It is a season of creativity and enjoyment for those that allow themselves to actually climb down off their high horse and do so! Lighten up a little. Yes I am a member of the LDS church and have been for 32 years.

I have never let my children go trick or treating on a Halloween when it falls on a Sunday. However, that does not make my children very happy. What makes it harder are the LDS children in my neighborhood that do and come to my house, to which my child of course says, “How come they can go and I cannot?”.
Anyway, I try and make the day before fun for my children but I am now down to my last child (the others grown and gone)and I am totally out of ideas to help satisfy the need for Halloween on Sat. instead of Sunday. Can anyone help?
The other question I have…do most of you who are LDS give out candy to the neighborhood kids on a Halloween that falls on the sabbath? I usually do but I am rethinking it this year.

@Joan – I would probably refrain from handing out candy. Just because it seems opposite from what you’ve been teaching your children all this time by keeping them at home when Halloween falls on the Sabbath. With one hand, you are holding your children back from celebrating normally while, with the other hand, you are providing other children with the fruits of the holiday. Seems confusing. I’m not condemning you for doing so all these years, but if I were your child, that’s how I would see it.

The point is, for the entire question of what to do when Halloween falls on a Sabbath is that, if celebrating this holiday is more important than keeping a commandment, then so be it. It’s all about priorities. I realize that, for children and those people who REALLY enjoy Halloween, this is a real sacrifice but then. . .the life we have chosen to live by following Christ is full of sacrifices in which we separate ourselves from worldly things. In the world, not of it, right?

It’s just a day. A day that has history. A day whose history has much changed. Pagan, Wiccan, Christian aside. . .it’s just a day. And it has the power you give it. When I was little, I remember that at a certain time during Halloween night, I would feel so sick to my stomach. And it wasn’t because of the candy. I was just afraid. Because the holiday was scary to me. I was brought up with witches and spiders and scary, gory movies on tv. So, my association with Halloween was one in which I grew to be very uncomfortable.

How about we ask our children what they think about Halloween? How it makes them feel; why it’s celebrated. See what they even think or believe first. Before we jump to conclusions and condemn imagination and creativity.

Although, I definitely agree with what Denver said in the second post:

“Does pretending to steal, murder, rape, whore, and sin make it okay, just because it is only for 1 day?”

Yes to trick or treating, Harry Potter, halloween parties, etc. I grew up in a VERY abusive home and the ward activities were a safe, happy place for me to be that I was allowed to go to. I was in the building with people of like values where I could feel the spirit. I have many happy memories of halloween parties with my ward and stake families. These activities are a safe place for my inactive family to go and interact with the saints. Those activites as a kid are a big part of the reason I am an active adult. Halloween is a day to make fun of the absurd notion that ghosts, witches, etc are real.

No to trick or treating or handing out candy on the sabbath. This is a tremendous teaching opportunity for our kids. My daughter asked me why we couldn’t even pass out candy and I said that I wasn’t going to reward anybody for breaking the sabbath.

My goodness there seems to be a lot of ignorance floating around. Im LDS (proudly) and am often disappointed at the culture of the members of my religion. Halloween like so many other things is what you make it. The Holiday has it’s roots in the harvest and some pagan traditions, but that does not make them bad. Pagan traditions are part of most of our holidays, but the symbols are positive. A little research will show that Halloween or “Holy Night” was not an evil holiday. It was an honoring of the dead, a warding against evil, and a time of celebrating life with kith and kin. True, our modern secular culture has bastardized much of it, but this is no different then Christmas or Easter. Also, just because something is ‘pagan’ does not automatically put an evil stamp on it any more then a ‘Christian stamp’ automatically makes it righteous (think crusades, spanish inquisition, Joseph Smiths murderers). There is a difference between spooky fun and evil. Halloween can be a great tool to teach children the difference and that fantasy is a great way to teach reality. Stop making such a big deal out of nothing. Have fun, be good, and don’t be a jerk.

And as for celebrating it if it falls on a Sunday? Deal with it. Sometimes it falls on a Sunday. Keeping your kids home or not passing out candy is NOT the super righteous teaching tool that you think. I’ve watched it alienate children from the church. Really think about it. You spend time with your family, you dress up, you walk around the neighborhood, you pass out candy. What part of family time, community time, imagination and creativity, and generosity are not part of the gospel or how we should act as Christians? I wish we could do this MORE days out of the year. Maybe we’d all get along a little better.

People seriously need to lighten up, If your kids are well educated and know the difference between real and fiction then they are not going to go out and act upon these “harmful themes”

Haloween is fun because you get to be something your not…
If your a fairy fine…
if your a chainsaw massacre dude…fine!

Its fun to be something your not it doesnt mean you actually are that thing or think its right.

I claim the privilege of worshiping almighty God according the dictates of my own conscience and allow you the same privilege–and as for me an my house, there has been and will be no observance of Halloween.

I don’t feel that I can participate and stand as a witness of Christ at the same time.

Interestingly, my grown children now participate in Halloween with their families and I have to love a respect what they choose to do.

This is very interesting from a cultural position. I’ve been a member since birth. I live in Southern Utah in a predominantly LDS town. Personally, I’ve never met a member of the LDS faith that opposed the observance of Halloween. For me, as a child, I have very found memories of the holiday. So I’m in the camp (of which I thought was the majority) that feels Halloween is a great opportunity to have some clean fun one night every year. I think if you teach your children good values every day of the year, you can teach that Halloween is not an excuse to part from those values. However, I respect @JillG ‘s comment that you can worship according to the dictates of your own conscience. Probably the best advise on Halloween observance.