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Halloween may have a controversial past, but the holiday can be celebrated for different reasons.
Halloween has many different opinions. Some Christians in particular have viewed this holiday in a negative light; some think it shouldn’t be celebrated because it’s highlighting what is considered to be evil. But Halloween can still be celebrated; it can just be for different reasons.
Halloween originated as a holiday called Samhaein which means “summer’s end” in Irish. It was considered to be the one night of the year when the spirits of the dead would return to the land of the living. To help ward against the spirits of the dead, the living would light huge bonfires and dress up in costumes.
While it was a traditional holiday, it has since changed and become what is now known as Halloween. The name originated as All Hallows Eve, which was in preparation for the next day, All Saints Day.
Despite the origin of Halloween, celebrating this holiday provides an opportunity for family and friends to gather together and have some fun.
I remember as a young kid, my church would hold a Halloween party focused on a message or theme. A few times, the part was a festival where the young adults would host carnival-like games and the young kids could win candy. Other times, the party consisted of going to different neighborhoods and trick-or-treating.
Halloween can also be used as a way to spread kindness to others. My church was able to bless senior citizens at a health care center. Everyone dressed up as characters and went around giving candy to the elderly. This was a wonderful way to spread God’s love.
Dressing up is also a fun tradition. Having an excuse to be whoever you want to be is one of the most exciting things to do, especially as a kid. Children can grow their imagination and are given a way to express themselves, especially with their creativity.
Halloween also brings together communities. When families go trick-or-treating, it allows communities to connect. When looking during trick-or-treating, we see people from different generations and ethnicities all dressed up and going door-to-door together. Not many holidays allow people to do that on a single night.
Because of the above examples, Halloween can be a harmless holiday. While it’s sometimes looked down upon and viewed as detrimental, it doesn’t mean that the holiday can’t be used for good.
Children dressing up as characters, going around meeting new people in the surrounding community and spending a wonderful time together should not be forsaken for the concern of celebrating a holiday with a controversial past.