A Day I Can Forgo

It’s here, THAT season, and culminating in just a couple days. Halloween.  Stores have stocked shelves with 30% off ticketed items by the rows. There are black cats, witch hats, spiders, eerie tombstones and yes, the ever-dreaded skulls.  Americans are expected to spend a record $13.4 billion on Halloween in 2025 (up from $11.6 billion last year).

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE fall; it is my favorite season. Crisp morning air. The foliage colors are so rich. I decorate my home seasonally with warm orange, burgundy and brown tones, reflecting the leaves outside. But Halloween does not roll this gals socks.

I am often asked why I have chosen not to celebrate Halloween. Why I don’t find it “all in fun.” What is fun about it?  If you narrow it down, take a step back, the basic theme is of fear, death, and darkness—regardless of how we attempt to cutesy it or slap a smile on it. Have you really noticed how creepy-ugly and black the neighborhood yards are? (Never mind—don’t look). No, not for me. Before I get all kinds of comments, emails, texts, and smoke signals, please let me explain why (for me) I choose not to.  

My family used to do the Halloween thing when I was little. Sure, I wore thin fabric climb in costumes with sweaty plastic masks.  But after I came to understand and was a daughter of the Most High God and learning of His Majesty and His glorious light—I do not participate in the day of darkness. Yes, you would say “darkness and light struggle 365 days a year, why be bothered by one day?” One-singled-out-day. 

Regardless. A day I can forgo.

I have seen and experienced too much from the dark side to play with it like a child’s toy or pretend in dress up, putting a mask on the undercurrent (you can’t un-see or un-know).  While the parties take place, the candy bowls filled and children run from door to door, unbeknownst to most of us in the background, far in the dark corners, there are cultic activities taking place. Those deeply into the occult take this holiday very seriously and yes, the dark forces they are dealing with are very real!  (*See the history of Halloween below). And by the way, (standing a lil taller on my soapbox) there is no such thing as a “Good Witch” regardless of how Hallmark wants to title it. 

We must remember, “our great enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  he’s not standing in the crowd yelling “Over here! I’m here!” Paul talks about the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6) and in the above verse, Peter instructs “Be alert!” Darkness always has an agenda.  ALWAYS.  It will come again and again for any crack—any opportunity to subtly peek in with the ugly and the demonic. Anything to oppose the gracious love and beauty of our God.

Alrighty. Gently climbing down off my soapbox (so as not to hurt myself) and dragging it back to the corner.  No condemnation, just offering insight. You are loved.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds” – Hebrews 10:24).

*History of Halloween: “Halloween’s customs are thought to have been influenced and dated back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) the celebration of their New Year on November 1. They believed the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred (Oct 31) and the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities, this done in attempts to appease them. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes.” [History.com] Just to mention a small fraction that happened/happens on this designated day.

In addition, according to Wiccans, Halloween is the time when the veil between the living and the dead is considered to be the thinnest. They celebrate and take advantage of such status. I used to work with an openly devout Wiccan (we sat next to each other). I was so distracted by her dark atmosphere. It was creepy. As I began to pray for her and over her, within a week, she was gone. I came in one day and her desk was cleaned out and all her “items” removed. Light and darkness.