Linda Winwood - Mommy, Why Dont We Celebrate Halloween?

Copyright 2014-Linda Hacon Winwood

All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations marked PEB are taken from the Plain English Bible, copyright 2003. Used by permission of Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA 17257. All rights reserved. All emphasis within Scripture quotations is the authors own. Please note that Destiny Images publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules.

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This book is dedicated to my four beautiful children, Amy, Sarah, Anna, and Katie, and to all Gods children who ask why.

My special thanks goes to a dear friend and sister in the Lord, Sue Stevenson, for encouraging and supporting me, and most of all for believing in me and this book.

October 31st again and all the kids are trick-or-treating, said Jerry as he looked out the window in front of his home at the children dressed in costumes walking down the street. Mom, why cant we go trick-or-treating like all the other kids? Are you afraid well eat too much candy and our teeth will get rotten?

Well Jerry, said Mom, I certainly dont want your teeth to rot, but no, that isnt the reason you cant go trick-or-treating.

Its because we are Christians, and Daddy and I know that Jesus would want us to focus on more positive things.

Sarah exclaimed, But why, Mom? All of my friends do and they are Christians too! Besides, whats wrong with Halloween? Its only going door-to-door asking for candy and dressing up in costumes!

Well Sarah, said Mom, Halloween can be a very dark and scary holiday. It is not like Christmas and Easter, which are all about Jesus. How do those holidays make you feel?

Happy! exclaimed Sarah. Excited, added Jerry.

Thats right, said Mom. Our family celebrates holidays that bring glory and honor to someone good. That is not true about Halloween, and many Christians have never been taught the true meaning behind it. They dont know how this holiday got started or why it was celebrated. Only when we know the truth about something can we know whether it is good or bad for us. There are things in this world that the devil can make look good on the outside, but on the inside they are not right and they can hurt us.

Yes, I Know, Mom, said Jerry, but what does that have to do with Halloween? How is dressing up in funny costumes scary or bad?

If you listen carefully, I will tell you the story of Halloween, and I think you will understand, said Mom.

First, think about Christmas. When the wise men came to visit Baby Jesus, what did they bring Him?

Presents! exclaimed Sarah. Yes, presents, Mom agreed. When they gave Jesus the presents, the wise men knelt before Jesus to show that they honored Him.

What does it mean to honor someone? Jerry asked.

To honor someone means that you should show great respect for that person. It also means that you understand his importance. There are many ways to show honor. One way is to set aside a special day, like a holiday, to remember some important person or event.

What other holidays do we use to honor people? asked Jerry.

Well, responded Mom, Thanksgiving reminds us of the big dinner the Pilgrims shared with the Native Americans to thank God for His help in the New World.

What do we celebrate at Easter?

Thats when the angel rolled away the stone, Sarah answered. Jesus wasnt dead anymore!

Thats right, Mom replied. At Easter, we remember Gods love when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. We also honor God for His great power that brought Jesus from death to life.

So what do we honor at Halloween? Jerry asked.

A long time ago, many people did not believe in God or honor Jesus. Instead, they honored statues made of wood or stone and worshiped things in nature like the sun and the stars.

Do you mean they bowed down to them like the wise men knelt before Baby Jesus? Sarah asked.

Yes, Sarah, Mom said. And God tells us You must have no other Gods before me.

But Mommy, we dont worship any statues or other gods on Halloween, said Sarah.

That is true, but in some parts of the world, Halloween is a religious holiday, just like Easter and Christmas are for us, Mom replied. You see, some people used to believe that on Halloween night, the souls of people who died would return to the earth and visit the people who were still alive.

That sounds dumb, said Jerry.

But these people didnt think so, continued Mom. To get rid of these evil spirits, they would try to keep them happy by setting out food and treats so that the spirits would go away and not trick them. Does that sound familiar?

Oh, I see, said Sarah. Thats where the trick or treat part of Halloween comes from.

Thats right, said Mom. Another group of people from Ireland, called the Celts, asked everyone in the village to bring food for the spirits. They offered the food to the spirits by burning it in a big fire.

Many villagers wore costumes to the bonfire, Mom continued. They were made of animal skins and bones. Some farmers even wore animal heads. This is how the tradition of dressing up got started. Many of the costumes worn on Halloween today are scary things, like witches, ghosts, and devils.