For most people in the UK, Halloween is a mix of costumes, sweets, spooky decorations, and a bit of harmless fun. Children dress up as witches or superheroes, knock on doors for treats, and families carve pumpkins with grinning faces. It’s playful, social, and, let’s be honest today it’s also commercialised. But beneath the cobweb bunting and plastic skeletons lies a deeper story, one that Christians might want to reflect on.
The word Halloween is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day, a Christian festival dating back to the 8th century. It was a time to remember the saints and martyrs, and later, with All Souls’ Day on November 2nd, to pray for all the faithful departed.
Before that, Celtic traditions marked Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) around the same time, celebrating the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, a season associated with death. People believed the veil between the living and the dead was thin, and spirits could cross over. When Christianity spread, it didn’t erase these customs but often absorbed and reframed them.
For some Christians, Halloween is troubling, too close to occult themes, too focused on fear and evil. Others see it as a chance to engage with culture, offer hospitality, and reclaim the season’s deeper meaning. After all, the Bible doesn’t mention Halloween, but it does speak clearly about death, hope, and light in the darkness.
Take Romans 8:38–39 (NRSV): “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is the heart of Christian hope, not fear of death or spirits, but confidence in God’s love.
Or Ephesians 5:8: “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.”
Halloween can be a time to shine that light, whether through a church event, a warm welcome at the door, or a quiet prayer for those we miss.
And the Minster Church of St Mary’s in North Petherton is holding a ‘Light Party’ today from 4pm till 6pm in the church rooms next to the church, for children aged 6 to 11. So why not come along for a snack and lots of fun and laughter.
In today’s world, Halloween is often more about community than theology. But it also opens space for reflection. People are thinking about death, mystery, and what lies beyond. Christians have something powerful to say here, not with judgment, but with grace.
We can honour the season by remembering the saints, praying for the departed, and offering a message of hope. We can host light parties, decorate with joy, and remind people that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).And for those of you who would like to remember the loved ones we have lost we are holding an All Souls Service at The Minster Church of St Mary’s, North Petherton on Sunday 2nd November at 3pm. You are welcome to come and join us, and light a candle for someone you’ve lost.
Whether you’re handing out sweets or holding a vigil, Halloween invites us to be present, thoughtful, and kind. It’s not about avoiding the world, it’s about meeting it with love, joy and hope.
A Prayer for Halloween and All Souls
God of light in the darkness,
As lanterns glow and laughter fills the streets,
We pray for all who celebrate tonight,
For children in costume, for neighbours sharing kindness,
For moments of joy that brighten the autumn chill.
Keep all people safe, we pray,
On the roads, at the doors, in every gathering.
Let this be a night of fun, not fear;
Of welcome, not worry.
And as the veil of night draws in,
We remember those we have loved and lost.
Those whose names are written on our hearts,
Whose stories shaped our own.
May they rest in your eternal peace,
And may we walk in their light.
For you, O Lord, are God of the living and the dead,
And nothing, not even death, can separate us from your love (Romans 8:38–39).
So bless this night, we pray,
With joy, with memory, and with hope.
Amen.
