Every October, Christian families are faced with the same question:
What are we going to do about Halloween?
For some families, the answer is simple. For others, it isn’t.
As a Christian mom, I’ve become increasingly aware that the traditions we create in our home are teaching our children something—even when we don’t realize it. That’s one reason our family has chosen to look at October 31 differently.
Maybe you grew up celebrating Halloween and never thought much about it. Maybe your children love dressing up, getting candy, and seeing all the decorations. Maybe you have started feeling uncomfortable with certain parts of the holiday, but you also don’t want your children to feel like they are missing out.
Or maybe you have been somewhere in the middle for years.
You don’t love Halloween.
But you’re not quite sure what to do instead.
If that sounds like your family, I want to introduce you to something we have come to love:
Reformation Day.
October 31 can be so much more than a day Christians simply try to “get through.” It can become an opportunity to teach our children about the Bible, church history, courage, faith, and the precious gift of having God’s Word in our own language.
What Is Reformation Day?
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther famously posted his 95 Theses, challenging serious abuses that had developed within the church.
Luther was not the first person to recognize that reform was needed. Men such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus had raised concerns long before him.
But the events surrounding Luther helped ignite what became known as the Protestant Reformation.
The Reformation would eventually reshape Europe and profoundly affect the history of Christianity.
At the center of the movement were questions that still matter deeply today:
Where does our ultimate authority come from?
How is a sinner made right with God?
Can salvation be earned?
Who deserves the glory for our salvation?
The Reformers emphasized truths eventually summarized by what we now call the Five Solas:
Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone
Sola Fide — Faith Alone
Sola Gratia — Grace Alone
Solus Christus — Christ Alone
Soli Deo Gloria — To the Glory of God Alone
These aren't merely interesting pieces of history to memorize.
They point our families back to the Gospel.
But Why Celebrate It Instead of Halloween?
This is where every Christian family has to prayerfully make decisions for their own home.
My purpose isn't to tell another mother, “You're a bad Christian if your children go trick-or-treating.”
I don't think conversations like this are helped by shame.
But I do think Christian parents should be willing to ask difficult questions about the traditions we bring into our homes.
Not simply:
“Is everyone else doing it?”
But:
“Is this something we want to make part of our family's culture?”
Because childhood traditions are powerful.
The things we repeatedly celebrate communicate something to our children about what is worth remembering.
And when I look at October 31, I see an incredible opportunity.
Instead of making the day primarily about witches, ghosts, monsters, scary decorations, costumes, and candy, we can make it about something completely different.
We can make it about faith.
You Don't Have to Take Away the Fun
This is probably one of the biggest concerns parents have.
If we stop celebrating Halloween, will our children feel deprived?
But choosing not to celebrate something doesn't mean October 31 has to become a boring night where everyone closes the curtains and pretends nothing is happening outside.
Replace, don't simply remove.
Make Reformation Day something your children actually anticipate.
Have a special meal.
Bake something together.
Dress up as historical figures.
Make Reformation crafts.
Create a scavenger hunt.
Learn about the printing press.
Build a cardboard castle while learning about Luther's hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.
Have children complete activities about the Five Solas.
Learn how the Bible was translated and how dangerous that work sometimes was.
Make bookmarks.
Do a Bible journaling activity.
Invite another Christian family over.
And yes—give the kids some candy.
There is no rule saying the children have to be miserable for the evening to be meaningful.
We aren't trying to prove how holy we are by taking away every enjoyable thing.
We're trying to intentionally point the enjoyment somewhere better.
Our Children Are Already Being Discipled by What We Celebrate
This is something I think about often as a mother.
Discipleship isn't limited to family worship, Bible lessons, or Sunday morning.
It's happening in ordinary life.
It's happening through our routines.
Our conversations.
Our traditions.
Our music.
Our entertainment.
Our holidays.
What we repeatedly make exciting becomes part of our children's childhood memories.
That's why I don't only want to ask:
“What's wrong with Halloween?”
I want to ask:
“What could we put in its place?”
And when October 31 gives us the opportunity to tell our children about people who risked their reputations, freedom, safety, and sometimes their lives because they believed the truth of Scripture mattered, that's a story worth telling.
Imagine Your Children Remembering October 31 Differently
Imagine your children growing up remembering October 31 as the night your family made special food and gathered around the table.
The night you talked about Martin Luther standing before powerful authorities and refusing to abandon what he believed Scripture taught.
The day they learned why having a Bible sitting on their nightstand is an incredible privilege.
The year they learned about William Tyndale and the tremendous cost associated with bringing Scripture to ordinary people in their own language.
The afternoon they made their Five Solas craft.
The evening they dressed up like Reformers.
The night everyone laughed, played games, ate too much candy, and learned something about their Christian heritage without even realizing how much they were learning.
Those memories matter.
Maybe You've Been on the Fence About Halloween
Maybe this is the year you've been questioning it more than usual.
You see increasingly dark decorations everywhere.
Your children are getting older and noticing more.
Some of the imagery makes you uncomfortable.
But you hesitate because Halloween has always been part of your family traditions.
I understand why changing a tradition can feel bigger than it sounds.
You don't have to make the decision because another Christian family made it.
And you don't need fear to be the reason behind your decision.
Take it to Scripture.
Pray about it.
Talk about it with your spouse.
Ask what kind of traditions you want to establish in your home.
And remember that saying no to one tradition gives you room to say yes to another.
That's one of the reasons I love Reformation Day.
It isn't simply about avoiding something.
It's about choosing something.
Choosing to remember.
Choosing to teach.
Choosing to celebrate truth.
Choosing to make Scripture central.
Choosing to show our children that following Jesus has a history filled with ordinary people who had to make extraordinarily courageous decisions.
Reformation Day Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
Please don't turn this into another Pinterest-perfect holiday that exhausts you.
You don't need a beautifully decorated Reformation table, handmade costumes, twelve activities, historically accurate food, and a three-hour theology lesson.
You can start incredibly small.
Read a children's story about Martin Luther.
Teach your children what Sola Scriptura means.
Read Psalm 46 together.
Color a Reformation-themed bookmark.
Eat a special dessert.
Talk about why your family has decided to spend October 31 differently.
That's enough.
As your children grow, your traditions can grow with them.
Give October 31 a New Meaning in Your Home
The world already has plenty planned for October 31.
As Christian parents, we get to decide what that date will look like inside our own homes.
We don't have to follow every tradition simply because it's normal.
And we don't have to spend the evening hiding from the culture either.
We can intentionally create something different.
Something joyful.
Something our children look forward to.
Something centered around Scripture, history, courage, and the Gospel.
So if you've been on the fence about Halloween, perhaps the question this year isn't simply:
“Should we stop celebrating Halloween?”
Maybe there's a better question:
“What do we want our family to celebrate instead?”
For our family, October 31 is an opportunity to remember the Reformation and the men and women who stood courageously for biblical truth.
It's an opportunity to remind our children that God's Word is precious.
That salvation is by grace through faith.
That Christ is enough.
And that everything we do should ultimately be—
Soli Deo Gloria.
To God alone be the glory.
Want to Celebrate Reformation Day This Year?
Start small. You don't need to completely reinvent October 31 overnight. Choose one or two traditions your family can begin this year—learn the Five Solas, make a simple craft, read about Martin Luther, prepare a special dessert, and spend some time in God's Word together.
I've created a FREE Reformation Day Family Starter Kit to help you make October 31 meaningful without making it complicated.
Inside you'll find simple Reformation history, the Five Solas, Scripture, family discussion questions, activities, and an easy planning page to help you create a Christ-centered Reformation Day your children can actually look forward to.
Get the → Free Reformation Day Family Starter Kit
I’ve also put together a complete guide with Reformation Day activities, crafts, Bible activities, food ideas, and traditions you can use with your children.
Read→ How to Celebrate Reformation Day With Kids: Crafts, Activities & Family Traditions.
With faith,
Marleigh
Christian wife, mom, and creator behind Home Faith, where I create simple, meaningful resources to help families grow in God's Word and live out their faith in everyday life.
