Why do Christians celebrate Halloween?

Question

As far as I can see - its about witches, superstitions, magic and the occult - why do christians celebrate it?

ok then - if its for kids to dress up and get candy - why can't you do that at any other time of the year?
I mean considering it comes from pagan orgins would you not want your kid to avoid it even more?

to kristal - so did the saints dress up as witches and ghosts too?

Answer 1

This is like asking why Christians celebrate Yule (oops I mean christmas) or Ostara (damn it, there I go again, that's supposed to be easter). Christians have adapted MANY pagan holidays and traditions and claimed them as their own. The fact that they're pagan holidays doesn't stop christians from celebrating them, why should it stop them from celebrating Samhain?

Answer 2

You have a very good point, and as a Christian, I never really gave it much thought.I suppose by dressing my kids up in costumes and letting them go door to door "trick or treating" I was in a great way being hypocritical. But we never really give much thought to the occult and superstitions and all that. We just used the occasion to allow the kids to have a little fun.

Answer 3

I do not celebrate Halloween. When my children were little they were taught it was Trick or Treat. A time to wear costumes and get candy. They were not taught the true meaning of this so called holiday until they were older. We decided to keep it as Trick or Treat Dress Up and Get Candie. They wanted no part of demons and goblins for real, just dress up and have fun.

Answer 4

Christians don't celebrate Halloween, however it is celebrated in mainly Christian countries which had pagan links.

Just because Christians don't roam the streets shouting about the issue it doesn't mean they support it - actually if they did roam they might look quite scary as well

Answer 5

Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve, is the night before All Saints Day (a catholic holiday to honor all the saints), which was based on an older pagan harvest holiday. It's been celebrated for centuries, by pagans & Christians alike.

Edit: The practice of dressing up for Halloween is something which was adopted in the 20th century. All Saints Day predates that practice. The dressing up & asking for candy, like the giving of flowers, cards & chocolate on St. Valentine's Day, are money-making schemes.

Answer 6

i'm a christian(SDA) and I don't celebrate it. i guess some christians are just lost into the worldly traditions of man. Christians aren't even supposed to be celebrating christmas for that matter, all these things have pagan origins( santa clause/ satan lucas, easter egg and easter bunny,halloween,even valentines day)
this is why i choose not to look around me because people lead you astray, i choose to look up and make jesus my only example.

God Bless and have a great day.

Answer 7

As I see it, most people, including Christians, celebrate Halloween so their kids won't miss out on all the fun. Nobody but delusional Fundamentalists see any harm in that.

Answer 8

We make it Hallelujah night and give God the glory for all that He has done. Have games at our church and wear costumes, all the games have a Bible based fun and at the end we tell why we did not celebrate Halloween as others did, but instead all night the kids are safe, and they still get candy. But instead of the demons and witches, it is all about God.

Answer 9

It's fun and good for you!

This pagan holiday serves a very important and healthy psychological function. It's the holiday that acknowledges the death aspect of the life cycle (all pagan holidays celebrate some aspect of the life cycle),, and invites people to 'walk around in its shoes' so to speak. By dressing up as symbols of the things we fear, and by allowing ourselves to be frightened (as in haunted houses), we acknowledge and embrace our fears and therefore, gain a better understanding of them.

This brings our fear into light and removes its power to make us afraid. So you see, it helps us process the fear and change it into something manageable. The holiday also celebrates the hope of an afterlife, so it's not just about fear either. This is why it's so fun and exciting, and good to participate in. We will get nowhere with our fears if we always run from them. We will do much better to understand that fears can be endured and survived, and changed.

Answer 10

How come Harry Potter celebrates Christmas?
Most of the holidays are not celebrated for their actual meaning.
Most meanings have been lost in antiquity.