Writer Lizzie Hutchison shares her musings on Halloween and how she has navigated the non-Christian event as a Christian woman.
If there’s one thing that divides believers more than women preaching, it’s Halloween. Were you a trick-or-treating family? Or were you Christian? Ziiiiing. My mother had a smart approach (cheers Mum) which was to let us to go to our friends’ halloween parties - so I dodged FOMO - but never doing anything at home to celebrate; so we didn’t go trick-or-treating, carve pumpkins or throw any ghoulish raves.
As such I’ve adopted a similar approach throughout life. I think I’ve carved one friendly pumpkin (to see what the fuss was about) and never felt the need to repeat the affair. Frankly, for someone with an Art A-Level, it was a humbling experience. I’ve been to themed parties when invited, but never really made a fuss about the whole thing. Maybe I’m just British.
It started as a way to remember the dead which doesn’t seem terrible, but also isn’t super necessary if you know they’re having a wonderful time with Jesus.
As an advertising copywriter I’ve had to write a lot of “spooktacular” headlines, with more puns than you can shake a broomstick at. Should I have taken a stand and refused? I’m not sure. Some people have been horrified that I’d even go to a Halloween party. But it just seems like there are bigger things to get worked up about. That said, I don’t believe in paying the event unnecessary respect, or glorifying it. It started as a way to remember the dead which doesn’t seem terrible, but also isn’t super necessary if you know they’re having a wonderful time with Jesus.
Wowee people are really decorating their houses now. It’s frightening enough to be a woman walking home in the dark, without having to navigate light up zombies on people’s porches. I wish they’d take the gord-geous American approach (I warned you) with a few root veggies and a more wholesome plaid-check atmosphere. But Poundland produce it is.
I thought: “This must be what hell looks like.”
I remember going out - complete with clichéd cat ears - at uni, and not thinking too much about it. Until we got to the club, and I looked around the room to see witches getting off with goblins. Bloody face paint smearing over sweaty bodies. And I thought: “This must be what hell looks like.”
Possibly it’s a “don’t eat meat infont of weaker brothers” thing. If you think you could get carried away then don’t engage with it. A powerful way to defeat evil is to laugh at it and move on. Either way, don’t give Halloween any glory. And don’t carve a pumpkin with an ego.
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