Whether Halloween or anything similar was ever discussed during my childhood in Haiti in the 1980s is not something that immediately comes to mind. I have no early memories of Halloween, apart from the fact that, while schools presented it as one of the year’s grand celebrations, my parents “could care less” (to emphasize their Haitian accent). They would likely have used those very words to underline their indifference to Halloween.
Throughout the various classrooms I attended, announcements of Halloween festivities would surface, encouraging us to don costumes. Some costumes I saw were genuinely impressive, with the boys often arriving as superheroes—a favored choice for many. I can barely recall what the girls wore, perhaps princess costumes, and as for the teachers, let’s say a few of their choices veered into questionable territory. Some, in their own judgment, managed to keep it borderline appropriate, while others seemed oddly unfit for young children’s eyes.
The classrooms were decorated, as were the hallways. Typically, there was a central hall where students from different classes could gather for snacks, drinks, and dancing. And what kind of music, you ask? Naturally, The Monster Mash and other eerie tunes with dark, minor tones echoed through the speakers. Cobwebs adorned the walls, ghosts dangled from the ceiling, and goblin heads even served as cups filled with Dracula’s “blood”—which was, of course, probably Hawaiian Punch.
And that was the extent of it. No one referred to it as more than a costume party, nor did I think much more of it than that. I was aware of its darker elements, as spooky movies and popular sitcoms leaned into the eerie themes of the season. Still, I regarded it as entertainment, a thrill for those who enjoy a good scare. Personally, I found little excitement in being frightened, yet I understood why others did, just as I enjoyed watching a suspenseful movie.
Haitian Adventists, however, tend to approach Halloween much like the wider Adventist community. In a 2015 article in Adventist Review, Old Testament scholar Gerhard Pfandl, PhD (Andrews University), made the case that Halloween has no place in Adventist life, tracing its roots to paganism and asserting it as “firmly rooted in the occult.” For Pfandl, Halloween epitomizes spiritualism, and its casual acceptance reflects society’s denial of a real devil. He cites Deuteronomy 18:10-12, which warns the faithful against associating with sorcery and necromancy.
This viewpoint aligns with how many Haitian Adventists view Halloween. In my experience, Seventh-day Adventists in Haiti often place special emphasis on the occult, particularly as they see it represented in the Vodou traditions of the island. I’ve sat through many sermons that include tales of what some powerful “magicians” can allegedly accomplish. I’ve even heard claims from the pulpit that certain practitioners can transform into creatures and fly. You might think I’m exaggerating, but these accounts were relayed quite seriously.
The truthfulness of these tales doesn’t particularly concern me. I’m inclined to take much of what I hear with a grain of salt, especially when it’s relayed secondhand. What would you make, for instance, of hearing that today’s popular fashion trends were conceived in underwater factories? It strikes me as bizarre, but it was said.
Parents with such deeply rooted fears of occult influence would understandably find it unsuitable for their children to attend school or go trick-or-treating dressed in costumes representing menacing characters. I don’t personally share these fears, but I think the conversation around Halloween within Adventist circles often oversimplifies and carelessly ignore specifics to the point of making themselves out to be liars. For instance, to say that wearing any mask on Halloween is inherently harmful seems reductive. I struggle to see inherent power in that day due solely to its past usage.
Furthermore, I doubt that a real adversary in a cosmic struggle would be overly concerned with people draping white sheets over themselves and going door-to-door for candy. Nor do I accept that such costumes are chosen because the wearer genuinely believes in the spirits they may depict. If we’re being honest, most people who participate in Halloween do so for the simple thrill of dressing up.
To be clear, I don’t think it wise for a believer to identify with figures like Freddy Krueger, whose story is steeped in violence. However, it seems extreme to label a believer a heretic for wearing a doctor’s white coat on October 31st. The history of Druids roaming door-to-door, casting curses on those who didn’t offer food to appease their deities, is not enough to sway my perspective.
For me, there is no deity but God. Food offered to idols, while generally best avoided, is ultimately offered to nothing. And if we push the point further, who’s to say that even those claiming special insight into the occult are genuinely accurate? Commonly accepted lore about the supernatural doesn’t necessarily equate to truth.
This isn’t meant to dismiss the topic but to emphasize how much remains unknown about spiritualism and how often beliefs about the spirit world might be more myth than reality. We are uncertain of practitioners’ full awareness of their practices, let alone the assumptions of Christian communities who sometimes make conjectures that feel like shots in the dark.
Should Haitian Adventists celebrate Halloween? No. There are beliefs that, once deeply entrenched, can create significant tension if challenged. For many, this is such a belief. Still, I believe we would do well to approach such topics with greater caution, especially when addressing matters we understand imperfectly. And that extends beyond Halloween to encompass Vodou and other areas we address from our pulpits.
What concerns me most is the lack of an alternative. Haitian Adventists offer no substitute for the activities they discourage their children from engaging in. Perhaps there’s a hesitation that by organizing an event, they would be seen as endorsing the very celebration they oppose. Yet, this rationale is puzzling, given that these same churches readily hold prayer services or evangelistic meetings during such times. In other words, they schedule events without regard to what may be happening on that day. By the same logic, churches could arrange unique gatherings that differ from the usual services, creating spaces where young people can perform biblical stories. This could be accompanied by snacks specifically tailored for younger attendees, fostering a wholesome alternative atmosphere.
Notes
Image by Jerry Jacques
Pfandl, G. (2015, October 29). What every Christian should know about Halloween. Adventist Review. https://adventistreview.org/news/what-every-christian-should-know-about-halloween/