7 Bible-Based Halloween Costume Ideas for Christian Families

1. Mary and Baby

This one is a sure-fire winner for any young girl still in her baby-doll-loving phase. Since toy infants are created so realistically these days, most of us probably already own a potential "baby Jesus" in our homes right now, so this idea is as simple as it is sweet. Simply wrap a de-clothed doll in solid-colored, simple cloths (even dish rags work) and dress "Mary" in a simple, ankle-length, solid-colored dress or robe with as little ornamental décor as possible. Use any simple, solid-colored material as a head covering, and make sure to add lots of shawls or simple cloth blankets for those living in colder climates. I've seen this idea accentuated by adding a DIY halo around baby Jesus or Mary's head to highlight the divinity of Christ, which can also be added to Mary's head using gold tinsel garland, craft pipe cleaners, and a headband.

2. David and Goliath

According to 1 Samuel 17, Goliath was a heavily armed Philistine giant challenging Saul for 40 days to send out a man to fight him. No one would face this warrior until David volunteered to fight the giant, eventually killing him with only a sling and stones. I'm curious if there's ever been a little boy listening to this story in Sunday school that didn't ask for a slingshot at some point. This idea is great for friends or brothers aiming to dress up as a team. Obviously, the smaller of the two would dress as David, and the other would be Goliath. According to Scripture, David shed his oversized armor before fighting the giant and, much to his comrades' shock, approached his enemy in plain clothes. David's costume should be simple, perhaps including sandals, a tunic, a headband, and of course, his all-famous slingshot which can be purchased at little cost here. Goliath was fully decked with the finest armor, so any costume resembling a 11th century solider would work well. Although Goliath was a Philistine soldier, his armor closely resembled that of a Roman soldier, which makes this costume easy to find.

Photo credit: ©SWN/Dall-e AI

3. Queen Esther

I'm not sure I had a single friend growing up who didn't idolize our brave and beautiful biblical heroine, Queen Esther. Esther was a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora who found favor with the king, became queen, and risked her life to save the Jewish people from genocide. Not only was she humble, kind, and smart, but she was blessed by God enough to rise to the rank of Queen of Persia for the ultimate freedom of her Jewish people. Girls of any age will have lots of fun with this costume, and there's plenty of room for DYI creativity here. Esther lived in 480 BC, so if purchasing a queen's attire, the most similar costume would be an Egyptian princess or queen. Fun DYI items include a be-jeweled headband, a DIY fur-trimmed costume cloak you can make yourself, a cape or cloak you may have on hand, and large costume jewelry necklaces. A variation to this theme would be to include Esther's husband, King Ashep, if the queen would like to include a brother or friend as her king.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/leykladay

4. Pharaoh

As a divine ruler, a pharaoh in biblical times was the preserver of God-given order, owned a large portion of Egypt's land and directed its use, and was responsible for his people's economic and spiritual welfare. His will was supreme, and he governed by royal decree. Many different pharaohs are mentioned in the Bible, but Amenemhat III is perhaps most well-known for making Joseph the Vizier of Egypt in Genesis 37-50. This costume can be super fun for boys who aren't afraid to get silly. Pharaoh's wore lots of gold and ornamental jewelry in that time, so feel free to throw in some of mom or sisters' most ornate bangle bracelets to make this look extra authentic. Additions to this costume can be a staff with a forked end, and scepters, which were used as symbols of power or dominion. Consider using gold spray paint on sandals and other pieces of clothing you're willing to discard afterward, like a towel-turned headdress.

5. Centurion Soldier

I have three boys, and when they were younger, there wasn't one of them who didn't idolize the strength and regality of a top-notch solider. As members of the Roman army in Biblical times, centurion soldiers held high rank in the Roman army, like what would be a first-lieutenant or captain today. Several individual centurion soldiers were mentioned on several different occasions in the Bible, and each time they exemplified faith. In Matthew 8:5-13, a centurion soldier earned praise in Jesus' eyes for showing great faith that his servant could be healed at the mere utterance of Jesus' words. In Matthew 27:45, the centurion soldier keeping guard over Jesus's body on the cross was so blown away by the presence of God that he was recorded saying, "Truly this was the son of God." This costume offers an extra special way of inviting others into the story of Jesus' healing power and resurrection for those looking to spread the light of Christ during secular Halloween activities. The simplest way to find this costume would be to search for Roman soldier or gladiator costumes online, which are affordable and easy to find.

6. Shepherd and Sheep

This costume idea is simple and so irresistibly cute. In the Bible, shepherds are used to represent leaders of God's people (see Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 23:2). Shepherds watch for enemies who might attack the sheep, and they defend them when necessary. They tended to sick or wounded sheep and searched for and rescue lost or trapped ones. Jesus is also referred to as the "good shepherd" throughout the Bible, which is an easy and inviting explanation to offer anyone curious about the meaning of your child's costume. This costume is very DIY friendly, easily constructed using a plain colored cloth robe, belt, sandals, headband, and large walking stick doubling as a shepherd's staff. For those looking to involve their pet in the fun, Amazon and other retailers offer adorable sheep costumes for dogs, which, as you can imagine, really ups the fun factor for dog lovers. Stuffed animal sheep are, of course, a simpler option.

7. Angel

This tried-and-true costume idea may be well-known to many, but for most little girls out there, it doesn't get better than dressing as a glitter-covered ethereal messenger from heaven. Not only is this costume super DYI friendly, but it's also super amendable to groups (every friend can dress in a slightly different shade of silver, gold, or white, for example) and even brother-sister combinations. Although angels commonly evoke cherubin-like, winged images in the minds of many, angels such as Micheal and Gabriel were describes as being might and powerful, which is why they often spoke the words "fear not," before continuing with their messages from the Lord. Some angels, like the Seraphim, seen in Isaiah 6: 1-8, are described with six wings and two covering the eyes because they cannot stare at God's holiness. Feel free to get creative with this idea if your son has an interest in the more mighty, formidable side of angels described in the Bible. This can include weaponry, a fake muscle suit, or costumes similar to this boys' archangel costume on Amazon.