Halloween/Harvest Party?
Posted by tom | Nov 3, 2005Yesterday, I had the opportunity to share my perspective on Halloween w/2 Korean students and in turn they shared some regarding family rituals in their culture. I was encouraged by their testimony regarding followers of Christ who seek to remain faithful to God by rejecting ancestor worship and widespread influence of Confusianism in the culture.
Facing Halloween as a follower of Christ w/young children has been complicated, I confess that my initial reservations emerge from the mass consumerism of the holiday (Note: According to the link below: Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday). Secondly, the fantastical nature of the holiday encourages, people to inhabit other worlds and the forms of other people, something that was a pattern in my childhood and now which I reject as I embrace Christ who created, called, and indwells me to be all he has created me to be. Not that we can't use our gifts of creativity and not that we don't play dress up, but it is overdone in the popular culture. Relatedly, the light hearted nature of our treatment of the dark side concerns me. It probably stems from some of the thoughts expressed by C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters regarding not taking the devil/demons seriously as a way to influence a person's (and in our case a wider culture's) engagement w/the really real. Our materialism makes this holiday a time to consume not just candy, but also relationships and images in an unhealthy manner. Note: I think this is a particular issue among young adults who see this as a 'time to party.' We are distanced even further from the reality in which we live by sugar-coating it w/superficial spirituality. This combination of consumerism and materialism has a great forming influence on children and adult alike in our culture.
As a counter-cultural measure our children took part in a Harvest Party which directed attention along a more godly direction, but it did not occur on Halloween. To fill Halloween we went out with friends for dinner and play time at a Chik-Fil-A. Re-inforcing to me that counter-cultural lifestyle is greatly enhanced by community. I was burdened by not participating in one of the only American holidays that invites us to meet our neighbor. I'm still seeking to find more ways to engage our neighbors in conversation in our day-to-day living. If you have some tips, in addition to borrowing lawn tools, talking on your porch, inviting over for a meal, let us know. I would add individualism to the list of consumerism and materialism as the fine sounding arguments that we are warned against in the Scriptures. Hoping to do something w/All Saints Day next year, more on that when I have the time to write again.
For the history and development of Halloween click here. For a slightly different view check out Christianity Today
I have similar thoughts every year around this time, Tom. It's so difficult to lock the house and turn off the lights when I know it's the only day of the year that most of the neighbors are likely to stop by, smiling and friendly. I also love to see my child(ren) out among the community, engaging other children in such a festive event.
But the basic essence of Halloween is not something I can celebrate. You summed it up well here. As our children get older, I feel a great responsibility to adhere to my principles and do something about my reservations. So, next year, I'll need to find a good alternative.
Without crossing my arms at the neighbors.
Posted by serina, Nov 4 2005, 21:21