For many, many years, Halloween has been associated with witchcraft and evil. Satan’s one night of the year to claim souls for hell has been the belief of the church and pious people. Halloween began as a pagan festival celebrating nature and its gifts. It was believed that on this night the boundaries between the living and the dead were compromised and the spirits of Halloween could walk the land.
In an effort to appease the Halloween spirits, people would leave offerings of food and drink at their doorsteps. It was thought that these Halloween customs would protect their crops for another year. This was also the time of a practice called “souling”.
Souling involved food in exchange for prayers. During the celebration, the poor dedicated themselves to asking the neighbors for food. This meal was given in exchange for the recipients’ prayers for the souls of dead relatives. As Halloween customs were passed down, begging became food for these poor individuals who would continue to pray for the dead. Eventually, the children were sent from house to house to receive food or some money for the family.
In some countries, wearing masks and receiving gifts are still called “souling”. Children continue to receive small food or money. Trick or treating is one of the modern American customs of Halloween. The first recorded Halloween celebration in the United States occurred in Anoka, Minnesota, in 1921. That was the beginning of trick-or-treating Halloween costume parties and a series of activities that embody the essence of the celebration.
When it started, trick-or-treating was just that. If a homeowner doesn’t provide treats, the costumed person (one of the most popular Halloween customs is dressing up) would do some trick. This could be playing a prank on them or goading into the house. In some countries, this is part of the mischief of the Halloween spirits. It was also likely that any Halloween spirit that didn’t get food would do something to the person in the house. It was in the 1970s that the trick-or-treating tradition began to wane due to various rumors that some homes were handing out harmful or poisonous treats to children. Today, many parents accompany their children while trick-or-treating or hosting private Halloween parties.
Now, the children go from house to house saying this phrase and receiving a lot of sweets. People travel from neighborhood to neighborhood in search of sweet food. Gimmicking is more a part of the evening’s fun than a slight against a single person. If a neighbor doesn’t participate, they turn off the porch light so the kids know not to come near it. Of course, there are those naughty ones who lay eggs in houses and cars, but most neighborhoods celebrate Halloween without incident. Even adults get involved in Halloween customs with fog machines and costume parties.
In an effort to scare people, stories of the undead have been immortalized in books like Frankenstein and Dracula. The movies brought us Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and the Scream guy. People love to be scared, but much of the fiction has been confused with the fact that Christians have been led to believe that the practice of Halloween is bad for their children.
Basically, children know what we tell them. There are people who practice Earth religions like Wicca and who profess to be Satanists. They get their biggest influence and media coverage on this night. Even those groups have become bloodier than they really are through movies and books.
Our children will learn that the practice of dressing up and receiving sweets is not bad from the knowledge we gain. Spirits don’t roam the streets looking to take over your body or mess with your mind. In fact, for the little ones it is essential that we do not expose them to the scariest side because they could be traumatized and fear the fun side of Halloween.
Christians have nothing to fear from Halloween as long as the truth is told. While there are groups that practice magic (the jury is still out) and contact with the dead, they do not have exclusive rights on Halloween. They practice their trades all year long and not just on this night of the year.