Should My Family Celebrate Halloween? And Other Tough Questions - 96five Family Radio

Should My Family Celebrate Halloween? And Other Tough Questions

Halloween is growing in popularity in Australia, but is it all just harmless fun—or is there more to consider?

By 96five NetworkMonday 28 Oct 202452Q with Steff & MicahParentingReading Time: 2 minutes

From watching scary movies or the appropriate age to get your child a smartphone, every family faces tough decisions.

For some families, one of those tough decisions will be whether or not to celebrate Halloween.

While Halloween is an established tradition in America, Australians are still in a place where they can choose how—or if—they’ll engage with the spooky season.

52Q hosts Steff and Micah sat down with Focus on the Family CEO Brett Ryan to learn more about the history of Halloween and how to decide if it’s right for your family.

“It’s very difficult for me to say what one family can do and what another family cannot do” Brett said.

“You have to create the culture within your household, the atmosphere”.

Halloween has complicated history, which Brett encouraged families to be aware of when making their decision.

Historically, Samhain was celebrated by the Celts in Ireland, the UK, and parts of northern Europe. They believed October 31 marked a time when the boundary between the living and the dead thinned, allowing spirits to visit.

As Christianity spread, the traditions were gradually absorbed into the Christian observances of All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Hallows’ Eve (October 31). By the early-to-mid 20th century, Halloween became a popular celebration, with some of the Samhain traditions of wearing costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins becoming more commercialised.

Recent research has revealed one in four Australians plan to celebrate Halloween whereas approx. 93% of Americans celebrate Halloween in some way.

Brett encouraged parents to, where appropriate, involve their children in the decision-making process.

“We need to help them have their own internal filters to be able to make decisions for themselves that align with their values, their belief system” Brett said.

“So, whether it’s Halloween or the smartphone or watching an appropriate movie, we need to help our kids be much more discerning of their decisions.

If you decide not to celebrate Halloween, there are still lots of ways you can connect with friends and family at this time of year.

“We have this opportunity to be the light of the world” Brett said.

“Instead of saying, here’s everything that we’re against… we can actually celebrate is what we are for. We’re for families. We’re for celebration and community and that is such a positive thing.”

Brett encouraged families to do their own research on tricky topics like Halloween. Focus on the Family is an organisation dedicated to supporting families through challenges and promoting healthy relationships and they have a number of resources on their website that can help inform parents and guardians.

Listen to the full episode with Brett Ryan in the player above.

Feature Image: Beth Teutschmann on Unsplash