7 Spectacular Halloween Alternatives For Christian Kids
Are you looking for Halloween alternatives for your Christian kids? Well, you are at the right location. Every October 31 people in some areas of the world such as North America celebrate Halloween. This celebration however is uncomfortable for some Christian parents and so today we will share some Halloween alternatives that could be useful if you are such a family.
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What Is Halloween?
As per Wikipedia, alternative names for Halloween include Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, and All Saints’ Eve. The same source says that it is believed to have been influenced by Celtic harvest festivals and to have originated from pagan roots. It is stated here that the celebration may have been Christianized by the early church.
Halloween is a celebration of the dead which is popularly celebrated with scary themed events including trick or treats, haunted attractions and costume parties. Some Christians celebrate All Hallows’ Eve and attend church services and light candles on the graves of the dead. Other Christians don’t celebrate Halloween as they believe that it is a holiday that glorifies the devil and is a time when demons and evil spirits are more active.
If your kids are in school it is likely they will do Halloween themed activities like drawing and coloring pumpkins, having scary costume events and parties. So, what are Halloween alternatives for Christian kids whose parents don’t want them involved in these types of activities?
Halloween Alternatives To Candy
A common tradition happens at Halloween is the idea of trick or treating. In this activity, kids walk to their neighbors and typically say “trick or treat? In most cases the individual gives a treat which is usually candy. As per Livestrong, candy has several negative effects on the body including tooth decay, weight gain and it lowers the ability of the immune system to do its job.
A popular alternative to candy is fruit. Christian parents looking for Halloween alternatives to candy could have their kids get some fruit. They could create fresh fruit baskets and give them away to persons in need as a community service project instead of using money to buy candy to give to kids who are visiting the homes for treat or treating. As Christians, it is always our duty to serve those in need and what a great opportunity to take our minds from the typical activities and instead serve the less fortunate.
Another Halloween alternative to candy idea is to create a piñata with dried fruit. So instead of filling the piñata with candy fill it with boxes of dried fruit such as raisins or cranberry. Blindfold the kids and let them have fun taking turns and breaking the piñata. These kids will surely not miss out on trick or treating activities. They will have so much fun that even their other friends may want to skip trick or treating for a dried fruit piñata game. In this way we will be the “salt of the earth” and create a positive change.
Alternative Halloween Costumes
On Halloween, the kids commonly dress up in costumes featuring scary characters. Instead of spending money to buy clothing to do this, organize a clothes drive. Have your kids tell family and friends that for Halloween they are requesting clothing donations to send to a charity your kids will like. If you choose an international charity you could have the kids collect the money that would have been used to buy costumes and instead give the money to the charity. The bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive and for sure you and your kids will find great joy doing Halloween alternatives such as this charitable idea.
An alternative Halloween costume idea is to have a bible character or story dress up party. You could dress up like animals featuring the story of Noah’s ark. One could dress up as biblical characters and then play a guessing game to find out who the bible character is. This alternative Halloween idea gives kids the same fun from dressing up without the link to Halloween.
Church Ideas For Halloween Alternatives
So all your kids friends are dressing up in costumes ready to go to parties or to trick or treat and your kids feel left out because your family does not participate in these activities. Well, here is a great Halloween alternative that will involve your church and can help spread the gospel of Jesus with others.
Encourage your church to have a drama night. The kids can act out stories such as Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and then preaching a small sermonette about the power of Jesus, even when he is four days “late”. Invite attendees to give their hearts to Jesus during this bible drama service.
Churches can also have bible studies on books of the bible such as Revelation. The church could start a series on Revelation beginning on Halloween, as added bonus is that the book of Revelation has some “scary creatures” which will line up with the idea behind Halloween.
Halloween Alternatives For Christian Families
The bible is always the best book to read and it has a lot to say. For example, the Bible says that we should not consult with spirit mediums Leviticus 19:31 and that we should not try to cast spells or use magic Galatians 5:19-21. These are all things that are commonly associated with Halloween. Christian families seeking Halloween alternatives, can do a study at home to teach their kids the reason the family has chosen to stay away from and not participate in Halloween celebrations. For more thoughts about what Halloween means from a biblical perspective you can view the topic on the bible study blog Rock Solid Faith.
Another book that can be used to discuss the topic of Halloween with kids is “Mommy, Why Don’t We Celebrate Halloween?” written by Linda Hacon Windwood.
This book shows kids a Christian perspective on Halloween, explaining why some don’t celebrate the holiday. This story book shows the history behind the activities that are apart of Halloween traditions. This book helps parents who want Halloween alternatives show their kids how the “fun” of Halloween harms them and teaches them what to say to others who do not understand the true meaning of Halloween.
There are parents who are opposed to all “pagan related holidays” and though this book expresses why Halloween shouldn’t be celebrated it promotes other celebrations such as Easter so, if your family is not one for other holidays as well, you will have to discuss this added element if you opt to read this book as part of teaching your kids the reason behind not celebrating Halloween.
Another great book to read as an alternate Halloween idea is The Pumpkin Gospel. This is a glow-in-the-dark board book for children four years old and under that is written by Dr. Mary Manz Simon . This book teaches children how God changes us into beautiful new creations to shine for Him! It is a story of a new start with God. This book has scripture verses and can be used as one of the church ideas for Halloween alternatives as well. During a church service at Halloween time this story can be told to the kids.
Alternative Halloween Ideas
It can feel like everyone around you is celebrating Halloween. If you are a Christian family that prefers not to celebrate Halloween, there are alternate activities that you and your family can enjoy at this time of year.
We hope that the ideas shared here will benefit your family. With that we conclude our post on Halloween alternatives for Christian kids. If you liked one of our suggestions or have tried it in the past, don’t forget to let us know in the comments below.
