Is it innocent to dress up our children on Halloween?

In a culture that has learned to laugh at evil, Halloween is another symptom of the progressive numbing of moral conscience. What was once feared is now celebrated; what was once considered dark is now celebrated. Under orange lights and innocent masks, the world has learned to play with the terrifying, believing that nothing happens because of «a simple gesture».

Many live October 31 as a harmless tradition. However, before introducing it into our culture, we should ask ourselves: What are we really celebrating? Is what we are celebrating in accordance with what we believe? The Gospel calls us to be “salt of the earth and light of the world”. Participating in celebrations that exalt the opposite, even superficially, does not glorify God. And if something does not glorify God, we should sincerely examine whether it is appropriate to do so.

Trivializing evil: when everything “does not matter”.”

The greatest triumph of the devil, said the poet Baudelaire, is to make us think that he does not exist or that he has no power. Halloween fits perfectly into that deception. Under the guise of fun, the dark and the evil are trivialized, turning into a game what in reality represents evil.

When we laugh at the devil and make him a cause for celebration, we cease to recognize his real presence and his capacity to tempt. Little by little, our conscience becomes numb: what used to shock us, now seems like a joke. This is how evil creeps in - not all at once, but drop by drop - and gains ground.

«It's just a disguise.»

Some will say: “it's just a disguise, it's just decoration”. However, every human act has meaning, even when we don't perceive it. History is full of examples: symbols, words and celebrations shape entire cultures.

That is why it is not the same to disguise oneself as a saint or a demon, as a martyr or a monster. Each sign communicates something, and educates the heart of the one who lives it. What image of life and death is offered to children when the ugly, the violent or the demonic is confused with something that can be celebrated? If we accustom our children to celebrate a day where «the bad guys» reign, we run the risk that they will perceive evil in the wrong way. We must teach them to recognize its seriousness and not to give in to it, even in the guise of fun, because «he who plays with fire, gets burned».

In the face of this, educating in light, hope and holiness is infinitely more fruitful. A child who celebrates the lives of the saints learns that true courage is not in scaring, but in loving; not in provoking fear, but in being a witness of goodness. Thus, we Christians must highlight the beauty of God in the face of the ugliness of sin and the macabre. The devil does not deserve a party. The saints, on the other hand, do. They are the true heroes.

Holywins: when holiness conquers

Thus, the Church proposes a luminous alternative: Holywins, which means “holiness wins”. This initiative was born in Paris in 2002 and is now spreading to parishes and schools all over the world.

Holywins recaptures the true Christian meaning of November 1: honoring all the saints, known and unknown, who are already living in the presence of God. Children are encouraged to dress up as their favorite saints, learn their stories, pray and celebrate eternal life with joy.

In many communities, Holywins includes processions, games, singing, and times of adoration or mass. The children hand out holy cards and testify that true joy is not in fear, but in the love of Christ.

While Halloween glorifies darkness, Holywins exalts light. While Halloween mocks evil, Holywins teaches to overcome it with good. While Halloween trivializes death, Holywins proclaims the victory of eternal life. Because, in the end, there is no possible comparison between horror and holiness. The Christian is not called to «flirt» with evil, but to be a witness to the victory of Christ.