Christians Don’t Need to “Reclaim” Halloween — We Just Need to Show Up
- Justin
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
A Night Centered on Welcoming the Stranger
There’s always been a tendency in Christianity to isolate from the world. We see it even in the earliest days of the Church, when Peter himself struggled to reach beyond his familiar circle until Paul called him out for refusing to eat with Gentiles (cf. Galatians 2).
What makes Christianity so groundbreaking is how it pushes against our human tendency to protect and withdraw. Throughout the scriptures, God challenges us to go beyond our comfort zone and toward the outsider. Halloween isn’t a threat. It’s an invitation to be Christian in the simplest way possible: open your door, welcome the stranger, and practice love that crosses boundaries.
“Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
A Night to Give Freely Without Expecting Anything in Return
What other night of the year do strangers show up at your door and you simply give? No questions asked. No conditions. Just generosity.
This is a chance to practice real Christian love — the kind that doesn’t need a transaction. Don’t offer to pray for people on the porch. Don’t slip Bible verses or holy cards into the candy. Don’t make your kindness a sales pitch. Just give freely. That’s what grace looks like.
“Freely you have received; freely give” Matthew 10:8
A Night to Play, Create, and Find Joy in Being Together
From the very beginning of Scripture, God delights in creation. The creation accounts reveal divine abundance, creativity, and joy. God plays. God delights. And God invites us to join in this creative work.
Halloween is one of the rare nights when people of all ages participate in play. We imagine who we might become, try on new characters, and create for the sheer joy of it. It may be silly. It may not be “productive.” But play is part of what makes us human. It reflects the God who delights in us.
“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity” Psalm 133:1
A Night to Look Up From Our Phones and Meet Our Neighbors
Christians talk a lot about reaching the margins and resisting the isolating pull of modern society. Halloween gives us a chance to actually do it. People leave their homes, walk their streets, and talk to one another.
If you’re the hosting type, set up a table. Offer cider or hot chocolate. Put out some real snacks, and be present. Some people will pass by quickly, and others may linger for conversation. Either way, it’s a night to build real connections and to be good neighbors.
“So Jesus asked, ‘Which of these was a neighbor?’ The man responded, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’ Luke 10:36-37
A Night Where We Don’t Glorify Evil, We Mock It
One of the great tragedies of modern Christianity is how often we treat the battle of good and evil as if it were still up for grabs. Christians already know who won. There is no contest. We live in victory.
Satan’s best tactic is not to overpower us, but to divide us. To make us see an enemy in our neighbor instead of in our own fear. Jesus didn’t spend his ministry fighting evil. He spent it loving the lost and the broken. So instead of seeing Halloween as a glorification of darkness, see it for what it is: a celebration where the “enemy” has been reduced to some manufactured fog, spooky noises coming from a hidden speaker, and a plastic skeleton on a lawn.
“Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55
Show Up
You don’t need to reclaim Halloween. You don’t need to baptize it or hide from it. You just need to show up.
So open the door. Be kind. Love your neighbors. That’s the most Christian thing you can do. And if your idea of “reclaiming” Halloween is to wear “Christian” costumes and only associate with church friends, you’re not changing culture — you’re avoiding it.
So don’t reclaim Halloween. Show up.
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