How to connect with families around Hallowe’en

ALL SAINTS’ DAY ON NOVEMBER 1st has become less relevant in our contemporary culture, but with commercial influence, Hallowe’en (All Hallows’ Eve) on October 31st is now a massive event for children and families.

Hallowe’en is an opportunity to talk about good and evil and the Christian hope of light in a dark world. Here are some ways to offer a positive message at Hallowe’en.

Should the Church have a voice at this time of year, and if so, how can it involve your contacts made through weddings, baptisms and children’s groups?

Four ideas to try

• Better than Hallowe’en by Nick Harding offers Biblical references that will help form a Christian response.
• Consider holding a family or children’s activity day on or close to Hallowe’en. Activities might still include traditional activities like pumpkin carving, but perhaps have a ‘happy face’ design competition instead of scary pumpkin faces.
• No-tricks-just-treats is a caring reversal of the trick-or-treat tradition, which delivers unconditional treats to friends instead of asking for them. If children in your church, or families with recently baptized children, would like to take part, suggest doing it in the daytime rather than at night, and leave a slip of paper with the treat to explain it is from the local church for a ‘Holy Hallowe’en’. You might include details of your All Saints’ service if you’re holding one.
• Read ‘How to use editorial to help support faith at home’ and select the ‘Share a little light’ article from the Autumn collection to share online and in print.