Hayrides and Spooky Fun: Alternatives to Traditional Halloween

To celebrate or not to celebrate Halloween. That is the question on the lips and minds of many Christian organizations and parents across the country this time of year. Halloween is a celebration of a pagan tradition of dressing up to "confuse" the demons that they believed roamed freely on All Hallow's Eve, and as a pagan tradition, many feel that it goes against Christian values. I am not looking to start a debate (though a debate may be interesting) about whether this holiday is right or wrong. I am here to say that many parents are looking for alternative ways to let their kids celebrate this time of year, and we, as servants to our communities, should offer them.

An alternative Halloween can be as simple as a themed costume party or as complex as the Hell Walks which are gaining popularity. Themed costume parties could be located inside or outside with games, prizes, and, of course, candy. Themes could include characters from the Bible to cartoon characters to a general rule of no scary costumes. Hell Walks are being used as a minstering tool all over the country. Held indoor or outdoors, Hell Walks are set up much like haunted house attractions and depict scenes from hell and tell the story of the road to salvation. Some churches are using Hell Walks as church fundraisers and others offer them free. (Keep your eyes open in the next few weeks for my first visit to a Hell Walk attraction.)

Rural churches or churches with plenty of land can opt for fall festival activities complete with hayrides, a bonfire for s'mores and hot dogs, a trick or treat maze made with bails of hay and adults placed at strategic points to hand out candy and help the kids along, games, and prizes. Host a costume contest for the children. If you happen to have a pumpkin patch nearby, let the children pick out their own pumpkins and paint faces on them. Mazes through cornfields are a great activity as well if you have one available to you. Serve spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, and hearty soups. Greet new faces warmly and invite them back for a service.

Urban and suburban churches have a unique opportunity to reach out to the community at this time of year. Not often do you have the chance to open your doors to non-members and even non-Christians and have them so freely walk through the door. Many parents, Christian and non, are finding traditional trick or treat activities as unsafe. On trick or treat night, offer a Halloween party with open doors to all. Create a "spooky" maze through a hallway or with cardboard boxes to get to the party room. Make the maze dark with a spooky tape playing (you can find some that are just night sounds such as birds and other animals.) Hang fishing wire down in spots (they feel like cobwebs in the dark) so they have to get through it. In the party room offer candy stations where the child must play a game to get the candy. Some popular options are bobbing for apples, sensory boxes, and bingo, for example. Have a place for the parents to relax and watch. Offer up hot chocolate and coffee. Another good idea may be to offer a small dinner such as soup and hot dogs: parents who work late may not have had the time to prepare dinner before trick or treat.

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