Comments on: All Hallows Eve

By: Darren Gruett

Darren Gruett — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:50:45 +0000

My wife is kind of like you, since she did not grow up with Halloween in Venezuela. She sees it as something silly, dressing up in a costume just to get free candy when parents can just go out and buy it for their kids.

By: Ben Toh

Ben Toh — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:47:11 +0000

Thanks, Darren, John Piper’s perspective is similar I think: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/ask-pastor-john/what-are-your-thoughts-on-halloween

Not growing up in the US and not experiencing Halloween in my youth, I am totally neutral about it. I’m just embarrassed if people show up and I have nothing to give them. So I pretend I’m not home on Halloween. Me bad.

By: GerardoR

GerardoR — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:42:38 +0000

THank you Darret. This is definitely an issue I have to consider every year myself. For my wife and I, we definitely do not approve of dressing up in anything occultish or demonic. At the same time, I think we try to remember the Saints and remember that All Hallows eve is not about dressing up.
The one thing that bothers me more than monster costumes is the “sexy” costumes that women put on.

By: David L

David L — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:34:15 +0000

Oh no this year I wasn’t able to wear the Michaelangelo turtle mask because my wife hid it. Good thing I had an extra killer clown mask in the front closet! Then she wished whe had just given me the turtle mask.

By: Darren Gruett

Darren Gruett — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:54:11 +0000

John, very soon I will know what that is like. We are expecting a little girl next March, so I will be putting on my “dad costume” for the first time. That could be a scary thing.

By: John Y

John Y — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:10:41 +0000

I hear you, Joe. This Halloween my costume was an over-worked father of three daughters who is running around here and there doing many things but who primarily needs to spend more time being a father for his little girls.

Fortunately, this costume is coming off after Halloween. :)

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:39:28 +0000

You were a ninja turtle? Dang! This Halloween I was a research statistician. Very scary.

By: David L

David L — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:06:15 +0000

Good article Darren. I agree wholeheartedly. In fact I wish I could wear my ninja turtle mask every day!

By: Darren Gruett

Darren Gruett — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:01:09 +0000

Halloween does afford a rare opportunity to meet so many people in our neighborhoods to whom we might otherwise never talk.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:09:23 +0000

Darren, I appreciate this article and your sensible, balanced perspective. As I was driving to DC early this morning, I was listening to a Christian radio program and heard a pastor give an analysis very similar to yours. The pagan origins of Halloween are well known but hardly relevant. (The origin of Christmas Day has pagan elements too.) What matters is the cultural meaning today. I have lived in the United States all my life and have not yet met a single person who uses the occasion to engage in demon worship or occult practice. If I ever meet anyone who does, I will take a stand against it. Until then, I will not tell the children in my neighborhood that they can’t dress up in costumes and go door to door to get treats from people. In my town, it’s actually a great chance to go with them and meet the neighbors. It’s a community event, and a rather fun one.