I have never been a fan of Halloween. However, that does not mean I have never participated in the day.
When the kids were very little, I would arrange a neighborhood party. There would be lots of games and a contest for the best costume (no scary costumes allowed). As they got older and went to school, they went out with their friends. Since that was around 50 years ago it was relatively safe. However, one year there was a threat of razor blades in the candy and our local police department made arrangements with the hospital to x-ray the children’s candy.
On a very practical level, what do you do with bags of candy that you would rather your children not have? Through the years I have bought back the candy, which depending on the number of children you have can be a very expensive solution. A few years ago, I was introduced to a dentist here in town who buys back candy from the kids and sends it to military units overseas adding it to care packages. He is a former marine.
I have also gone head-to-head with grocery stores and drug stores in our neighborhoods that had frightening decorations. I challenged them on behalf of toddlers who shop with their parents in the stores.
On a faith-based level, as soon as my children were old enough, I talked frankly with them about the origin of the celebration and how it conflicted with our belief system. It is, however, important to teach them not to judge others with different convictions and yet not compromise their convictions. Actually, it is a good time each year to teach that true humility is standing firmly on the principles you believe in and being able to express them without pointing fingers, and having a prideful attitude.
This article was written many years ago and now as we are upgrading our website and I review its content I feel I need to bring up the serious issues we are facing in 2025.
Clearly, the enemy is fighting on many fronts to destroy the next generation. We see it through the education in the schools. The new curriculum indoctrinating our children with moral and gender confusion. Introduction to children’s literature through Harry Potter or the new movie Wicked are prime examples that God warned us about when the population calls good what God calls evil. In the medical community, we now know the serious effects of vaccines that we have trusted for years and are mandated for our children are dangerous rather than preventative. Not to mention how the COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to cause death and debilitating disease rather than preserve life. If any of these statements are foreign to your information base, I encourage you to do your research. We are starting a health and wellness section under the Dwelling Place tab that will point you to links for self-education.
Recent retail reports show more money is spent on Halloween decorations than Christmas decorations. The cancel culture orchestrated by satan himself is something we need to take seriously.
If you’re on this site you are interested in Hebraic understanding of God’s ways. So may I suggest that when Purim comes this year you have a costume party, do a play, have lots of games and food, bring biblical values to your children through activities they enjoy, and teach them about the heroes of our faith.