All Hallows' Eve and All Saints

All Hallows' Eve, the day before All Saints (or All Hallow's Day), has become Halloween: a mixture of ghosts, carved pumpkins and trick or treating.

Many Christians struggle with Halloween, reluctant to give their blessing to a celebration that can appear to glorify evil. For children, All Saints Day can be an anticlimax after the fun of dressing up and going out in the dark.

But the story of Halloween and All Saints is perennial: the fight of good against evil has been part of the story of the people of God from the beginning.

How can we use these festivals so that children are able to acknowledge that both good and evil are forces in our lives, and that the presence of darkness can be redeemed by the hope of light?

All Hallows' Eve and All Saints resources

All Hallow's Eve: Goodies and Baddies A party that explores the themes of dark and light, good and evil.

Saints and Pilgrims: Telling the stories of Julian of Norwich, Maximilian Kolbe and Francis of Assissi at different stations, with reflective questions and creative response.