From Remembering the Saints to Ghostly Celebrations: The Transformation of a Holiday and the Christian Response
By Paul Zhang (张崇助)
Every year, as October draws to a close, the streets and neighborhoods of America begin to take on a peculiar appearance.
Stores fill with skeletons, witches, ghosts, and frightening decorations. Artificial cobwebs hang from front porches; mock tombstones rise from lawns; pumpkins are carved into strange faces. On the evening of October 31, children in costumes go from door to door shouting the familiar words: “Trick or treat!”
Living in the United States, we can hardly avoid this holiday.
For many Americans, Halloween is simply a time for fun. Children look forward to candy, young people attend costume parties, businesses sell seasonal products, and families enjoy neighborhood gatherings.
Yet as a Christian and a pastor, I believe we must look beyond the excitement on the surface and consider the history, culture, and spiritual meaning behind the celebration.
When I see children dressed as devils, skeletons, and ghosts, and when fear, death, and evil become themes of entertainment, I find myself asking:
How did a day historically associated with remembering the saints become, in popular culture, a commercial celebration filled with ghosts and frightening images?
How should Christians respond? Should we simply follow the crowd, or should we make thoughtful distinctions? To answer, we must begin with history.
1. Halloween's History: From Ancient Customs to Church Tradition
Halloween has a complicated history.
In northwestern Europe, ancient Celtic peoples observed a seasonal festival known as Samhain. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, and over time became associated with stories about death, spirits, and the supernatural. Some traditions held that the boundary between the living and the spirit world was especially thin during this season. Various rituals, bonfires, and folk customs developed around it.
Later Halloween customs did absorb elements associated with Celtic traditions. Yet we should be careful: not every modern Halloween practice can be traced directly to an ancient Celtic ritual intended to drive away spirits. Costumes, trick-or-treating, and ghostly decorations developed through a long and complex historical process.
Meanwhile, Christians had long commemorated martyrs and faithful believers who had gone before them. Many early Christians suffered persecution under the Roman Empire, and some gave their lives rather than deny Christ. The church remembered them not because they possessed divine powers, but because their lives testified to Christ amid suffering.
During the Middle Ages, November 1 became established in the Western church as All Saints' Day, a day for remembering the faithful saints of generations past. October 31 was its eve, known as All Hallows' Eve, from which the word Halloween eventually developed.
An important distinction is necessary:
The church's observance of All Saints' Day and today's commercially driven Halloween, with its emphasis on ghosts and horror, are historically connected but are not the same thing.
The former focuses on witnesses to faith. The latter has absorbed folk customs, entertainment, and commercial interests over centuries.
When a cultural practice loses its original spiritual grounding, its surviving forms may no longer convey their original meaning.
2. Remembering the Saints Can Be a Beautiful Practice
If we set aside today's frightening decorations and return to the original Christian impulse to remember faithful believers, we find something worth preserving.
Hebrews 11 recounts the lives of many people of faith. Abel offered his sacrifice by faith. Noah prepared the ark by faith. Abraham left his homeland by faith. Moses rejected the splendor of Egypt by faith.
Others endured ridicule, beatings, chains, imprisonment, and even death for their faith.
They were not flawless human beings. They were people who, despite human weakness, responded to God's calling in faith.
Hebrews 12:1 then reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and calls us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, running with perseverance the race set before us.
Our faith is not lived in isolation. We are not the first to believe in Jesus, nor are we alone in facing hardship and struggle. Countless believers have walked this road before us. They wept, wrestled with weakness, suffered persecution, and held fast to their faith.
Their lives remain precious testimonies for those who follow.
It is therefore fitting to remember faithful Christians of earlier generations. We can honor the apostle Paul's faithfulness, Augustine's pursuit of truth, Martin Luther's courage in defending the authority of Scripture, and John Wesley's concern for holiness and social responsibility.
We should also remember missionaries who gave their lives in distant lands, believers who suffered quietly in the history of the Chinese church, and those who faithfully passed on the gospel.
Even our parents, grandparents, pastors, and spiritual mentors may have left us examples worth remembering.
Hebrews 11:4 says of Abel, “By faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”
A faithful follower of Christ can continue to influence future generations long after earthly life has ended.
We remember the saints not to remain in the past, but to be strengthened by their faith as we walk our own path today.
3. The Communion of Saints Does Not Require Celebrating Halloween
This raises an important theological question.
In the Apostles' Creed, we confess: “I believe in the communion of saints.”
Does this mean Christians should observe All Saints' Day—or even participate in modern Halloween festivities? Not necessarily.
The communion of saints means, first of all, that all who truly belong to Christ are united in Him through one Savior and one Spirit. This spiritual unity includes the living church and the faithful who have died in Christ, sharing the salvation and hope found in Him.
But this does not mean that we must pray to departed saints, or that our union in Christ depends on a particular annual festival.
For Protestant Christians, this distinction is especially significant.
First Timothy 2:5 teaches that there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity: Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ alone is our Savior and mediator. We honor the saints without making them objects of prayer. We learn from their examples without relying on their merits for salvation. We remember their lives without imagining that they can complete the saving work of Christ.
It is also important to distinguish two observances in Roman Catholic tradition. All Saints' Day, on November 1, commemorates the saints in heavenly glory. All Souls' Day, on November 2, is especially associated with prayers for the faithful departed.
Catholic teaching on purgatory holds that some who die in God's grace undergo purification before entering the fullness of heavenly joy.
During the Reformation, Protestant churches rejected purgatory, the treasury of saints' merits, and the system of indulgences as pathways prescribed by Scripture for receiving salvation.
We affirm the Reformation's great convictions: Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, and glory to God alone.
Christ's saving work on the cross is sufficient. No store of another saint's merits can supplement His redemption.
Historical accuracy also matters here. Not all Protestant churches abandoned All Saints' Day. Anglican, Lutheran, and some Methodist churches continue to commemorate the faithful departed without necessarily accepting purgatory or the invocation of saints.
So the central question is not whether we may remember the saints.
The real question is what we remember—and how we remember it.
The communion of saints is a precious confession of faith, not a reason Christians must join today's Halloween festivities.
4. The Reformation Reminds Us to Test Tradition by Scripture
For Protestant Christians, October 31 has another important historical association.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses became a landmark event in the history of the Reformation.
The Reformation raised a fundamental question: What should govern the church's faith and practice? Traditions accumulated over generations, or the Word of God revealed in Scripture?
The Reformers did not demand that Christians reject every historical tradition. They insisted that no tradition should stand above Scripture.
The same principle applies to Halloween.
A custom is not necessarily worth preserving simply because it is old. A practice is not necessarily biblical simply because it is popular. Nor does labeling something “culture,” “art,” or “entertainment” remove the need for spiritual discernment.
Romans 12:2 calls believers not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, so that they may discern God's will.
Christians need not be people without culture, nor people who reject culture altogether. We should be people who know how to discern culture.
We may preserve what is good in tradition, but we should never abandon truth merely to preserve tradition.
5. Why Modern Halloween Deserves Christian Discernment
Look closely at Halloween in contemporary America, and the distance from its earlier association with remembering faithful saints becomes apparent.
In popular culture, the religious significance of All Saints' Day is often overshadowed by consumerism, horror entertainment, and ghostly imagery. Three developments deserve particular attention.
First, commercialization.
Businesses encourage spending on candy, costumes, decorations, and themed experiences. The more elaborate the celebration, the more people are invited to consume. The meaning of the occasion easily disappears behind the products being sold.
Second, the entertainment of fear.
Skeletons, demons, ghosts, witches, tombstones, and bloody images are common Halloween symbols.
We should not claim that every child wearing a ghost costume is worshiping the devil, nor should we equate every frightening artistic image with actual demonic activity. Nevertheless, we can ask why death, evil, and fear so readily become objects of amusement—and how such images shape children's values and imaginations.
Third, the entertainment of superstition and occult practices.
Some seasonal activities present divination, spirit communication, attempts to summon the dead, and witchcraft as exciting experiences.
Scripture speaks clearly about these practices. Deuteronomy 18:10–12 forbids divination, sorcery, mediums, and consulting the dead. Christians should not dismiss these warnings simply because an activity is marketed as holiday entertainment.
At the same time, we must distinguish an ordinary neighborhood candy exchange from an actual occult practice. A child receiving candy is not thereby taking part in necromancy.
Yet Christian families may still reasonably choose not to participate in celebrations centered on frightening, demonic, or evil imagery.
Not every popular custom deserves to be followed, and not every apparently harmless amusement builds up our lives.
6. Christians Need Not Avoid Halloween Out of Fear of Ghosts
I want to emphasize something important.
When Christians choose not to participate in certain Halloween activities, it should not be because we fear ghosts or believe that October 31 possesses some special demonic power.
We need not turn the date itself into a mystical threat.
We believe that Jesus Christ, through His cross and resurrection, has conquered sin and death. Colossians 2:15 declares His victory over the powers and authorities.
Our response should therefore be rooted in truth, not fear.
We reject occult practices not because they are more powerful than Christ. We may decline ghost-centered celebrations not because a carved pumpkin can place a curse on our home. We choose holiness because we belong to Christ.
First Corinthians 10:23 teaches that although something may be permissible, it is not necessarily beneficial or constructive.
Christians should ask more than whether an activity is explicitly forbidden. We should also ask whether it glorifies God, builds up life, helps children develop sound values, and draws us toward truth, holiness, and goodness.
If an activity offers no meaningful benefit to our spiritual life, why must we take part?
Christian freedom does not mean thoughtlessly doing everything others do. True freedom includes the ability to make choices shaped by truth.
7. Our Children Need Better Faith Formation, Not Just Prohibitions
Chinese Christian families living in America often face a practical challenge.
Children see classmates wearing costumes, attending parties, and collecting candy. When parents decide not to participate, children may feel disappointed or excluded.
In such moments, our first task is not simply to forbid, but to teach.
We should explain Halloween's history, help children understand how cultural traditions develop, and discuss why Christians honor life, believe Christ has conquered death, and refuse to seek supernatural power through divination or spirit communication.
Even more importantly, we can introduce our children to believers whose lives are truly worth remembering.
We can read missionary biographies together, watch historical films about the Reformation, and tell stories of people who remained faithful under persecution.
We can invite grandparents and older church members to share how they came to know Jesus and experienced God's grace in suffering.
I especially hope our churches will take this work of passing on the faith more seriously.
Many young Christians know the names of popular entertainers but little about those who sacrificed their lives for the gospel. They know what costume to wear for Halloween but may not know why Martin Luther defended the Reformation. They recognize fictional heroes but may never have heard of the courage of real witnesses to Christ.
That is a gap in our Christian education.
We should not only tell children what they must avoid. We should show them the better and more beautiful things worth pursuing.
If a church wishes to organize an event around October 31, I would rather see Bible storytelling, Reformation remembrance, biographies of faithful Christians, family fellowship, or service to the community.
Children can experience joy without relying on frightening images for entertainment. We can respect our neighbors while maintaining our convictions.
Declining a holiday does not require condemning everyone who celebrates it. Holding to biblical truth should never cost us Christian gentleness and love.
8. Holiness Means More Than Refusing One Holiday
Finally, I want to remind myself and my fellow believers that a holy life cannot be reduced to whether someone celebrates Halloween.
A person may never take part in Halloween and still be greedy, dishonest, jealous, quarrelsome, or unloving. Such a person still needs repentance.
Conversely, we should not hastily conclude that a Christian family lacks faith simply because they participated in an ordinary neighborhood candy activity.
We must uphold clear biblical teachings while remaining humble about cultural decisions on which Scripture gives no direct command.
Holiness is not self-righteousness. It is not an attempt to prove that we are better than others through outward behavior.
To be set apart for God means that we belong to Him and are willing to let His Word continually reshape our minds, values, and conduct.
That is why I do not encourage Christian families to join Halloween celebrations centered on ghosts, horror, and commercial excess.
It is not because I reject all historical culture, or because I do not want children to have fun. It is because I believe Christians are called to a higher purpose.
We do not need to imitate the world to prove that we belong in it. We are called to live the life of Christ within it.
Conclusion: What Is Truly Worth Passing On?
Halloween is approaching once again.
Pumpkin lanterns will fill American neighborhoods, stores will display ghostly decorations, and children will happily collect candy. The world has its culture, entertainment, and trends.
We can understand without blindly following. We can respect without accepting everything. We can love people without imitating every value of the surrounding culture.
If the church's remembrance of the saints was meant to keep the testimony of faithful believers alive, then perhaps what we most need today is to recover that spiritual memory.
Remember those who gave their lives for the gospel. Remember those who held fast under persecution. Remember those who quietly sacrificed so that the Scriptures could reach the next generation. Remember those whose prayers, tears, and love helped us come to know Christ.
Their legacy is not frightening decoration or passing excitement. It is faith, hope, and love.
Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”
I often reflect on those words.
One day, each of us will leave this world. What will we leave for the next generation? The wealth we accumulated, the entertainment we enjoyed, and the trends we followed? Or the ways we trusted God, loved others, and held to truth in suffering?
The saints are worth remembering not because of their earthly status, but because their lives bore witness to Christ.
That is the spiritual heritage we should pass on.
Jesus said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
May we not be carried away by passing trends, distracted by commercial entertainment, or misled by superstition disguised as culture.
May God grant us discernment to recognize what is right, courage to hold fast to faith, and love to treat those who make different choices with gentleness.
May our children grow up knowing examples of faith truly worth following.
We do not need ghosts to celebrate the saints, or horror to remember the faith.
For the saints' enduring legacy is not a story of darkness, but the light of Christ.
And our calling today is to carry that light forward.
Paul Zhang (张崇助)
October 2026 · Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
