Every October, we harvest Fall veggies from our Fall garden and it’s a wonderful reminder of God’s provision throughout the year in all the seasons of life. This is also around the same time when most people around us celebrate Halloween and embrace traditions that we don’t feel comfortable with.
Let’s be real, sometimes being a Christian can be isolating. We try our best to be in this world, but not of this world. (John 17:14-16) And there’s no more difficult time to do this than holidays and cultural traditions that violate our Biblical worldview.
Most celebrate Halloween, but we skip the trick or treating. We go to our local church, dress up in fun costumes and enjoy a Fall Harvest Festival where the kids play games, enjoy a petting zoo and hang out with their friends. It’s wholesome, fun, and this way we’re not exposing our kids to dark, demonic costumes of devils, ghosts and scary decorations.
Some call us extreme for avoiding traditional Halloween celebrations. Others say we’re not extreme enough and that we should avoid all celebration around October 31.
We’ve found a balance that works for us and our Biblical worldview. Maybe you do something different. The point is that we need to be intentional (and prayerful) about how we live—and that includes how we engage in celebrations and Holidays.
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Healthy Fall Harvest Snacks and Treat Alternatives
When it comes to Halloween, the excitement revolves around dressing up and the treats. This can make it hard to navigate food allergies, keep nutritious food front and center, and maintain healthy eating habits. But we don’t want to rely on the traditional sugary, unhealthy candies.
There are a lot of other options as well that you can give your kids as well (and give to the neighbor kids if you choose to participate in Trick or Treating). So it doesn’t always have to be candy. One of our go-to strategies is stocking up on non-candy options like glow sticks, stickers, and fun pencils/pens. We’ve found that by offering these fun treats instead of candies, we’re not only helping our kids avoid feeling like they are missing out, but we’re also providing them with fun activities they’ll actually enjoy for more than just a few minutes.
And of course, we love our homemade treats to provide healthy options. I usually let the kids help in the kitchen making allergy-friendly, healthier treats which becomes part of our fun family activity. We’ve baked gluten-free cookies, serve yummy dips with gluten-free crackers, made sugar-free recipes, and even fruit-based desserts.
Any of our party foods or dessert recipes can become a delicious snack after a Fall Festival for a healthy Halloween. The great thing is, the kids still feel like they’re getting a special Halloween treat without all the artificial ingredients.
Non-Scary, Fun Decorations for Fall Harvest
In our home, we like to keep the fall decorations fun and lighthearted. The pumpkins we decorate won’t be scary—they’ll be cute! The kids love decorating real pumpkin designs, but instead of carving spooky faces, we let them paint or draw whatever creative ideas come to mind. And if we don’t have time to carve them we use stickers and Sharpies to save on messy cleanup. We recycle all the pumpkins when they are past their prime by taking them into the back 40 for the deer and wildlife to enjoy.
Another tradition we love is creating fun, non-scary costumes. We’ve even inspired other families to join in the fun with cute whole-family costumes like our Incredibles family dress-up tradition. It’s become something we look forward to every year. And with a family of 9, we get a lot of attention when we go to our church for the Fall Harvest Festival! Dressing up doesn’t have to be scary to be memorable. It’s all about letting the kids’ creativity shine through.
Alternatives to Traditional Treats & Trick-or-Treating
We’ve never really done traditional trick-or-treating, but that doesn’t mean the kids miss out on the fun. Instead, we’ve made a new tradition of attending Fall Harvest Festivals at our church or local community center. These events are always a blast, with fun prizes, bounce houses, petting zoos, and games. They have a lot of other things there besides unhealthy candy so look at the healthier options available commercially now! It makes the whole experience more wholesome and enjoyable for everyone.
We’ll enjoy a family treat at home when each of the kids picks a couple of their favorite snacks, and then we head to a Harvest Festival. This balance lets them enjoy the excitement of Halloween without being surrounded by the overwhelming temptation of bags full of candy.
And for those of you who might be hosting a traditional Trick or Treat at your home, consider offering non-candy treats like glow sticks, stickers, or small toys. Print out Bible verses on stickers and attached them to the treat bags with healthy candy options. Sharing a simple “God bless you” with a healthy treat goes a long way and adds a sweet touch of faith to the holiday.
Managing Halloween Non-Sugary Treats at Home
In our family, we make Halloween night all about balance. The kids each get to pick a couple of their favorite treats, and then we transition to a fun, healthy dessert when we come home. It could be one of their favorites, like a special homemade treat. Since we don’t do dessert every night, it still feels like a special occasion, but we’re not loading up on processed sweets.
Creating a happy, healthy Halloween, is something we actually look at as a fall harvest season and time to bless others in our life. Like any family tradition, it’s all about creating new, healthier traditions that fit your family’s values. All while still letting the kids have a fun and exciting season. For example, I make the same meal my mother made for our family, Sloppy Joe’s. We all know it’s easier to teach our kids healthy habits when they are having fun!
Fun Family Activities Without the Scary Stuff
Halloween doesn’t have to be filled with gory decorations or frightening costumes to be fun. In fact, we’ve found that the more creative we get with non-scary activities, the more enjoyable the holiday becomes for the whole family. It’s all about keeping the activities fun, lighthearted, and aligned with the season, without needing to involve anything scary without making the kids feel isolated and that they are missing out. That’s why we can’t speak more highly of a local church Fall Harvest Festival because the work is usually done for you and the kids can have fun.
I hope some of the ideas we’ve shared can inspire you to start your own healthy Fall Harvest traditions, keeping the fun alive while staying true to your values.
We’d love to hear from you! Let’s help each other create fall traditions that are full of joy, health, and meaningful moments.
