7 Wholesome Ways to Celebrate Halloween While Maintaining Christian Values

1. Swap Spooky with Wholesome

Perhaps the easiest solution is swapping all of the spooky elements of the holiday with wholesome ones. Instead of decorations depicting witches and ghosts, opt for bright orange pumpkins and stacked hay bales. Consider using other natural elements like corn stalks or pinecones to adorn your home or yard, bringing the beauty of autumn into your space without the spooky overtones.

For costumes, instead of vampires or masked killers, opt for something more whimsical or lighthearted, like historical figures, storybook characters, or even woodland creatures. If you have young children, you could even turn it into a family activity where everyone dresses in theme. While Halloween is often associated with the dark and magical, it doesn’t necessarily have to be. It can be about the cute decorations, pumpkin treats, and cozy seasonal vibes.

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2. Host a Movie Night in Lieu of Trick-or-Treating

There is a plethora of alternatives for trick-or-treating, one of the most popular among church-goers is “truck-or-treating.” Not only is it safer, but it streamlines the process and brings friends and family together in fellowship. But maybe you’re not up to going out, or maybe you have teenagers who are a little too old to go door-knocking for candy. Switch it up by hosting a movie night.

This has become a bit of a tradition in my house. Each Halloween, we post up at the end of our driveway to give out candy to the neighborhood kids, and then head inside to watch a festive film. Some favorites include Halloweentown, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo movie. We tend to keep our Halloween movie night pretty low-key, but why not take it up a notch by creating a cozy theater-like environment in your home? Push the couch cushions together, or blow up an air mattress in the living room and dress it up with as many pillows and blankets as can fit. String up some lights and turn on your fireplace place if you have one.

And don’t forget the snacks. One of the best parts about hosting a movie night is that you can bring whatever food you’d like, so serve up some festive treats like caramel apples, popcorn balls, candy, Halloween-themed cupcakes, hot apple cider, and so much more.

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3. Throw a Costume Party

When coming up with ideas for this article, I asked my parents if they had any ideas about creative ways Christians could celebrate Halloween, and my mom suggested a Bible-themed Halloween costume party. Funnily enough, when she mentioned this, the very first image that came to mind was the pack of animals crowding Noah’s ark (the perfect group costume, if you ask me). There are hundreds of historical figures listed in the Bible, many of which would make a great costume idea.

But the costume party doesn’t necessarily have to be Bible-themed. There are plenty of other wholesome costumes, everything from an M&M to a Disney princess to a Marvel superhero. At the end of the day, there is nothing untoward about dressing up in costumes. So, host a costume party to fellowship with friends and family. Make the evening even more fun by handing out awards for the “Most Creative,” “Funniest,” “Best Handmade,” or “Best Group” costumes. You could also include themed games like Halloween charades or bobbing for apples with a twist—where each apple has a Bible verse or fun Biblical fact attached. You could also carve out some time for a quick bible study highlighting the importance of community and fellowship.

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4. Create Cozy Crafts

Cozy crafting is one of my favorite things to do all year long, but even more so around Halloween. Many of the popular crafts surrounding this season include ghosts, vampires, Jack-o-lanterns, and witches, but I’d like to suggest a few alternatives. Instead of a Jack-o-lantern, carve circles into a small pumpkin and stack it on top of a butternut squash to make a mushroom-shaped pumpkin sculpture. Make some wall art by picking up a spring landscape at the thrift store and painting it into a cozy Autumn scene.

Take your crafting a step further, by organizing a craft day with friends or family. You can provide the materials, ask everyone to bring supplies for different DIYs, or even spend some time foraging materials from nature together. For example, you can make Autumn wreaths or table centerpieces using acorns, pinecones, and fall leaves.

If you’re planning to host the event for kids, plan to incorporate more playful activities like painting pumpkins or making DIY scarecrows out of old clothes and straw. As you craft, you can even discuss how they see God at work through the change of the seasons.

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5. Host a Halloween Cookie Swap

Every year at Christmastime a group of my friends get together to swap Christmas cookies, but what if we did this for Halloween? After all, there are dozens of fall cookie recipes out there. Everything from pumpkin spice cookies to those with white chocolate chips and cranberries, to apple cider cookies or intricately iced sugar cookies.

Make your cookie swap even more festive, by turning it into a friendly competition. Hand out awards for the “Most Creative Design,” “Best Fall Flavor,” and “Most Unique Presentation.” You could also extend the swap beyond cookies by allowing your friends to bring other Halloween-themed treats like chocolate-covered pretzels, apple cider donuts, or pumpkin pie.

To make the event even more interactive, set up a cookie decorating station where guests can design their own sugar cookies with buttercream frosting, royal icing, sprinkles, and more.

Integrate some fellowship into the event by having a moment of prayer and reflection, thanking God for the joy of community and the abundance of the season.

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6. Share the Spirit of Giving

Halloween doesn't just have to be about receiving candy. It can be a great opportunity to give back through acts of service. Instead of receiving treats, consider dropping some off at local nursing homes, shelters, or veteran’s affairs offices. Highlight the spirit of giving by delivering care packages to those in need or simply spending time with folks in need of some companionship and encouragement. You could also help with local food banks and clothing, spreading kindness and joy and transforming Halloween into a day of giving.

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7. Attend a Fall Harvest Festival

Many churches and communities host fall harvest festivals as an alternative to traditional Halloween celebrations. These festivals are typically family-friendly events filled with games, corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin carving, and delicious seasonal treats like caramel corn and hot cocoa. Hosting a harvest festival or parade at your church or even in your neighborhood is a wonderful option for bringing the community together to enjoy fellowship and have some wholesome fun that doesn’t focus on the darker elements often associated with Halloween.

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