I get asked this question every year, and every year we ask ourselves the same question again just to remind ourselves why we've chosen what we have chosen. Come October, what do we teach our children about this subject? I have struggled with finding an approach that both teaches them not to have anything to do with what is evil, while at the same time not allowing them to judge fellow Christians for participating in whatever degree. After all, these Christians are not deliberately trying to celebrate evil. They are either ignorant as i used to be, or they have found it too difficult to pull away completely from something that is a good childhood memory, and i really can't blame them because it is indeed a very hard thing to do. Either way, it isn't our place to be the Judge. We simply cannot do anything that goes against our own conscience. For us, it would be sinful to celebrate because of how we view it. Obey your own conscience:)
From speaking with Christians who do participate, i find that many of them don't want to take the "fun" of dressing up and other traditions away from their kids. I can relate. It is not easy to take fun away. You feel like the "bad guy." However, this cannot be our only reason for doing what we do. If we based other decisions on our kids having fun, we would be horrible parents. "Oh Jonnie, you're having fun stringing toilet paper all over the house? Well, okay then." You see my point:) Personally, i did grow up celebrating Halloween and developed a great love of dressing up. That's why i decided before ever having children that we would have birthday costume parties. That way, they are getting that fun of dressing up at a party, but it is in order to celebrate life and not death. Maybe you could consider doing the same thing. It has worked for us so far.
Every year in October, the boys have inevitably seen something scary from Halloween. Pictures of witches, scary pumpkins, people dressed up like the devil--they've seen it all. So rather than me ignore it, or laugh at it as though it weren't serious, i address the issue. "Yes, boys, sadly this is what people do at Halloween. It is a day where Satan tries to trick people into not taking spiritual matters seriously." The boys didn't need me to tell them that those things were evil; they knew by the way it made them scared. All i did was to encourage them that their conclusions were correct. I didn't make it out like it was fun or didn't matter.
I like the idea of using what Satan means for evil and turning it to good. Many Christians have chosen Harvest Festivals as an alternative to Halloween because they see that Halloween is evil. However, this feels to me too much like a cop-out. This makes it easy on Christians not to have to take away "fun" from their children. But really, you must admit that it isn't much different from the "holiday" itself. I think we would make a bigger statement to the world by not having anything to do with it; rather, we should totally turn it into an evangelism project. One thing the kids and i do is carve JESUS into our pumpkin. Or this year we did JESUS LIVES. Instead of having them dress up, you can explain to them the origins of why people used to dress up, and then tell them that you will be staying home and handing out gospel tracts with the treats (make sure the treats are something the kids would want; splurge a little) when trick-or-treaters come to your door. If you live in a neighborhood, you can do what my mom did one year and paint a huge meaningful mural that displays light against darkness, showing the Light to be victorious. These things can minister to people that you are not going along with the crowd, yet you are still friendly enough to turn on your lights and answer the door with a smile. You can play Christian music and be sitting outside drinking hot chocolate, praying silently, welcoming them up to your door with a gospel tract ready. I know you would be "embarassed," but this foolishness is actually God's wisdom. If you are seeking an opportunity to be a witness, it will not be in vain.
Other thoughts on how we can turn this day into an evangelism project? Please email them to me! And don't be offended in a bad way; i am not the Judge. I love you even if you participate. But at the same time, i am passionately against it so i must express that or else it would mean i didn't care!
So i will not say, "Happy Halloween." Instead i'll say, "May the Lord bless you and keep you safe." :)