Limited, Non-Compromising Participation

“Happy Halloween!” “Happy Reformation Day!” or “We don’t do that.”  I’ve heard them all.  In college, the “Reformation Day” greeting was quite popular…but I rarely hear it anymore. 

Recently, I’ve been noticing some very different opinions about this holiday.  I am surprised to see just how strongly some people feel about it – both good and bad.  For me, Halloween was always one of those “whatever” holidays…take it or leave it.  I never thought much about it one way or the other.  And, I never really considered how, or if, we would “celebrate” (read: participate) once I had a family of my own.

Growing up, we dressed up and went trick-or-treating around our neighborhood.  And, I usually still had plenty of candy left – though petrified – the following Easter! (At which point, there was more candy…and the vicious cycle continued!)  I have never been much of a candy eater (dark chocolate excepted), so a holiday that revolved around amassing sugary treats held very little appeal for me.

I did enjoy playing dress-up, so I saw Halloween as just another excuse to do so.  I really only remember 3 costumes.  Halloween occasionally fell on a Wednesday (like this year), which was Awana night for us.  So, when that happened, we would have “Hobo Night,” and everyone would dress up as a “hobo.”  Probably the most memorable was a fairy costume that my mom made!  It was purple, with a cape, shiny pink wings, a magic wand, and lots of ribbons.  (We later recycled it into a “Mary” costume for a Christmas program…)  I also remember being a black cat…Not because we were into the dark, superstitiousness of the holiday, but because I had a black cat as a pet!  I had ears, a tail, and even a furry collar with a bell!  It really was all innocent fun.

Oops, did I use the word innocent?  But, many will argue that Halloween is not an innocent holiday.  So, Christians retreat behind the safety of  the church walls for “Halloween Alternatives,” ”Harvest Festivals,” or “Reformation Day Parties.” 

Though they fall on the same day, Halloween and Reformation Day are two distinct events.  I see nothing wrong with marking Reformation Day - studying the life of Martin Luther, and the history of the Reformation…I think it’s a great idea!  (I especially liked Dan Phillips’ idea over at Pyromaniacs!)  But, that particular event has nothing to do with children donning costumes of superheroes or princesses, and getting candy…So, to hold an event at a church, for the purpose of allowing children to dress in costume, receive candy, and play games – all okay because it is “Reformation Day” – while mentioning nothing of Martin Luther, the 95 Thesis, or the history of the Reformation…  Sorry, I don’t buy it. 

As far as “Harvest Festivals”…there is nothing wrong with a harvest parties/festivals, I just don’t think they make much sense here.  For those of you who do not live in the LA area, the Los Angeles County Fair has the best commercials!  They are an incredibly accurate depiction of life in this part of the country - especially this one!  Their tag line is “If there’s any place that could really use a county fair, it’s LA!”  This city is not exactly known for agriculture.  So, while a Harvest Festival may make perfect sense in, say, Kansas, it just seems a little out of place around here!

I don’t think that there is anything wrong with a “Halloween Alternative” event.  Our church has one, and I think that they can be a great tool for evangelism, fellowship, and fun.  But, I also think that while the intentions are good, and in many cases, even evangelistic, they can be a little confusing.  They often take believers out of their neighborhoods, at a time when they have a great opportunity to interact with their (possibly) unsaved neighbors!  

These events also attempt to put a Christian spin on activities to make them more acceptable.  Let’s be honest, calling something “trunk”-or-treat, instead of trick-or-treat?  The basic idea is remains the same…And, what are the real motives behind the name change?  It appears to be a mentality that says “We don’t want to participate in the pagan aspects of Halloween, but at the same time, we don’t want to deprive our kids of the fun.”  Does simply renaming the event, or the activity somehow make it “less pagan”?  In this article on the Grace To You website (which I’ve had linked in the sidebar for several days), Christians who choose not to participate in Halloween activities are urged to explain their stand to their children, and prepare them for possible teasing, or disapproval from others.  But, I think that parents (and churches) who choose to participate in alternative events should be just as clear in articulating their stance.  Why are certain activities which are deemed inappropriate when they take place outside the church, suddenly made acceptable because they take place on church grounds? 

The article also offers a balanced perspective on the history of Halloween, as well as the levels of Christian participation.  They explained the 3 basic positions most Christians take on the holiday: Non-participation, Halloween Alternative, or Limited, non-compromising participation. 
We fall into the last category…for now.   

“There’s nothing inherently evil about candy, costumes, or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. In fact, all of that can provide a unique gospel opportunity with neighbors. Even handing out candy to neighborhood children–provided you’re not stingy–can improve your reputation among the kids. As long as the costumes are innocent and the behavior does not dishonor Christ, trick-or-treating can be used to further gospel interests.” (Christians & Halloween, GTY)

We don’t eat a lot of candy in our house.  We just don’t.  I’m not opposed to sugar, though I am extremely careful about how much Hannah has – Halloween or not!  So, my main reason for avoiding the trick-or-treating scene is really more of a preventative measure…I want to avoid finding petrified candy in my pantry next Easter!   We don’t talk about witches, or ghosts, or scary monsters, or haunted houses.  When Hannah is older, we will explain the history, and religious significance of both Halloween and Reformation Day.  Right now, she is happy to play dress-up, and “give treats to the kids.”  And we are okay with that.  And yes, she got a treat or two in the process…I’m not that stingy with the sugar! 🙂

So, as part of our “limited, non-compromising participation” Hannah dressed up as “Annie,” from Disney’s Little Einsteins, and helped hand out candy to the neighborhood kids.  Who knew Wikipedia had an article on the Little Einsteins?!  In case you were wondering:

• Annie — Leo’s loving and carefree four-year-old sister shines as the singer of the group. Annie loves all types of music and can make up lyrics on the spot, creating an altogether new song for your little one and the rest of the team.
• Rocket — The fifth member of the team, Rocket, is a “Swiss Army Ship” and is always on-hand for adventure. Offering cool gadgets and shape-shifting tools, Rocket transports the team around the world and beyond.

I like the idea of “homemade” costumes, basically because Hannah does not really care at this point, and I don’t want to spend lots of money on something that she will only wear once…  So, I’ve tried to be creative with what we have, or in finding something that she can wear again – in real life!  Unfortunately, there was not a wide selection of denim jumpers available, so it is not an exact match…She ended up looking like a cross between “Annie” and a character from Little House on the Prairie!  But, it was still pretty cute!

Here is our little “Annie” and Rocket: