Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Short answer: Christians are better off rejecting Halloween than entertaining it. The problem isn't candy or a costume. It's what the night celebrates. Scripture tells believers to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11), and you can do that from confidence in Jesus, not from fear.

Plenty of Christian families sincerely treat Halloween as harmless fun. Brad Straarup took this question on in his message How to Win Spiritual Warfare, and his answer was direct: you can either reject it or entertain it. There's no neutral option, and "harmless" is exactly the word the enemy would choose.

Why do so many Christians think Halloween is harmless?

The usual defense is familiar. It's not a big deal. The kids just dress up. It's cute. Most people who say that aren't trying to honor darkness. They've simply been convinced it doesn't matter, and that's the deception.

C.S. Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters that there are two opposite mistakes people make about demons. One is to disbelieve in them. The other is "to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." Then his warning: "They themselves are equally pleased by both errors." Halloween feeds both: it turns evil into a cartoon while making fear a month of entertainment.

That's why "it's harmless" deserves suspicion. "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). The enemy doesn't need you to bow to him. He only needs you to shrug. As Brad put it, "'It's harmless.' Exactly. That's what he wants you to think."

What does the Bible say about Halloween?

The Bible gives principles instead of a holiday calendar, and they are clear. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). Three verses later comes the command to have nothing to do with darkness. And Paul tells another church to "hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). Every kind, not only the obvious ones. Scripture is also direct about the occult practices Halloween so often celebrates: divination, sorcery, witchcraft, spells and consulting the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

Some who practice witchcraft treat the night as one of the most important dates on their calendar, believing the veil in the spiritual world is thin. Dwelling on the details only glorifies evil, and you don't need a history lesson on darkness to decide about it. You need to know what God says, and He has been clear.

Is it okay for Christians to watch horror movies?

Horror was once Brad's favorite genre. When he was young he had seen every horror movie on the shelf at Blockbuster, until a pastor who loved him enough to be honest asked him a question: "How can you preach about fear when fear is entertaining you?"

The more horror he watched, the stranger things got in his home. Eventually he asked God to forgive him, stopped watching, and never turned back. The strange things stopped too.

That's one person's story, not a formula, but it fits Scripture. Paul tells us to fix our thoughts on whatever is true, noble, right and pure (Philippians 4:8). And "the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). If fear is your entertainment, it's hard to live from that power.

What should Christian families do about Halloween?

A few practical steps:

• Decide together, ahead of time. Talk with your spouse before October fills up with invitations, and pray about it. Then plan something your kids will look forward to that night, so the answer isn't only "no."
• Explain the why to your kids. God told parents to talk about His ways "when you sit at home and when you walk along the road" (Deuteronomy 6:7). Keep it calm and age-appropriate: we are children of light, so we don't celebrate darkness.
• Guard the spiritual doors. Most of us lock our doors and install cameras, then leave our spiritual doors wide open. Check the screens, decorations and games in your home. Teenagers, that includes your feed. A toxic feed and toxic friends tend to produce a toxic life.
• Clean house. If there are occult items in your home (Ouija boards, tarot cards, horoscopes, spells, charms), get rid of them. In Ephesus, new believers who had practiced sorcery burned their scrolls publicly, even though they were worth a fortune (Acts 19:19).
• Don't raise fearful kids. Rejecting darkness doesn't mean being afraid of it. Brad had frightening dreams as a five-year-old, and a Christian counselor told him there was authority in the name of Jesus and he only needed to say it. Teach your kids the same. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10), and "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Pray with them at bedtime.
• Stay kind. Saying no to the holiday is not saying no to people. "Let your conversation be always full of grace" (Colossians 4:6).

What if we've always celebrated Halloween?

This is not a call to shame. The pastor in that Blockbuster story didn't condemn; he told the truth in love. That's what conviction from God feels like: an invitation to change, with grace on the other side.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). If the Holy Spirit is nudging you, confess it, receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and make a different choice this year. If you'd like someone to pray with you, send us a prayer request.

Frequently asked questions

Is celebrating Halloween a sin?

The Bible doesn't name it, so the question is what it celebrates. Believers are told to reject every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). The wise, faithful choice is to reject Halloween rather than entertain it.

Can't my kids just dress up for fun?

That's the most common objection, and the idea that it's just cute is the thinking worth questioning. Scripture doesn't rule on every costume or party, but the direction is clear: don't entertain darkness. Talk it through as parents, pray, and decide from Scripture, not from what feels normal.

Should Christians be afraid on Halloween?

No. The devil is real, but Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities through the cross (Colossians 2:15). Brushing evil off and being fixated on it are the two ditches Lewis warned about. Take darkness seriously, and trust Jesus' authority over it.

Choose the light

You don't have to be afraid of October 31. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). Your family can choose that light on purpose, gently and confidently.

This post comes from Brad Straarup's message, How to Win Spiritual Warfare, where he teaches what Scripture says about the enemy and how to stand against him.

If you're near Chandler and want a church family to walk with you in this, plan a visit.