Halloween is almost here. The most divisive day of the year among Christians. Lot’s of people have very strong opinions on how Christians should approach this day. I’m not here to tell you how to observe or abstain from Halloween. However, I will challenge us to ponder that Halloween is actually the kick-off of All Saints Day in the church calender. Historically, All Saints Day has been set aside to celebrate the unity of Church. We remember that Christ has defeated death, so we are united with the Saints who have passed away as a ‘great cloud of witnesses’ cheering us on as we seek to live God’s Kingdom on earth.
I don’t think it should be lost on us that a day dedicated to unity among Christians has become a day that divides us. I encourage us to reflect this season, how are we striving towards unity in the church, and collectively shining the love of Christ in our communities.
Shining God’s Love
Again, I’m not going to tell you how to do this in your community. I think each of us must partner with the Holy Spirit in discerning what is best practice.
However, I also know there are a lot of friends here who choose to share treats with their neighborhood kids on Halloween as a sign of God’s welcome and love for them. Some even pass out Gospel tracks. Which, friend if you’re going to do this, I can only support you if you pass out the ‘good stuff.’ Few things are more depressing than seeing a child come away from a house with a Gospel track and a pack of raisins. If we’re going to share with children that God loves them, let’s be generous in showing that love!
I can’t think of a better way to do this than passing out Donuts.
Halloween, Donuts, and Church History
Did you know that Donuts were kind of the OG Halloween Gospel Track?
In Medieval times, trick-or-treating was called ‘souling.’ On Allhallows Eve (Halloween) poor people of the community would go door-to-door, offering prayers for the souls in purgatory in exchange for ‘soul cakes.’ (Mind you, this was before the Reformation for those wary of the Doctrine of Purgatory).
Church history holds that ‘souling’ started to get a bit out of hand with all sorts of unholy shenanigans.
One little church lady was fed up! She punched holes in her soul cakes, and fried them in oil. The donut was born! She encouraged her visitors to reflect on their eternal souls as they munched. The ring shape represented eternity. And she served them hot….I’ll let you guess what that symbolized. So maybe more of a turn-or-burn Gospel track. But still a fun piece of trivia and Donuts are still the ultimate Halloween Snack.
Donut Wrappers
So why don’t we connect with our own Spiritual Heritage as we seek to love our neighbors well. I made some fun wrappers to go over Donette Snack Packs. Each wrapper shares the Church History of the Donut, and a reminder of how much God loves us.
I will admit, I did sanitize the history a bit. These are going into the hands of little children. And you know, I just can’t get behind sharing the turn-or-burn message with my tiny neighbors. Here’s what it shares:
Did you know?:
Donuts have been a Halloween treat since Medieval times. Legend has it a little church lady wanted to remind her neighbors of the hope of Jesus on Halloween. She made a circular sweet bread, and punched a hole in the middle. The donut was born! The unique shape is an endless loop, reminding us of God’s never-ending love. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
So it does share the history, but instead encourages littles to think about how much God loves them. I have found this to be a much better tool for sharing about Jesus than using fear.
It also shares a piece of scripture.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8:39
In light of Halloween being a night where scary images are everywhere, it’s a small reminder that God is bigger, and he loves us. That’s kinda what the Church has historically observed on Allhallowstide. God’s never-ending faithfulness to humanity. He is above every created thing. Jesus defeated death! That’s why we have the hope of eternity. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Let’s share that with our neighbors.
Download Allhallowstide Donut Wrappers
These donut wrappers are made to fit Donettes 6 count (3 oz.) Snack Packs. Simply print, wrap, and tape. These work great to pass out to tiny neighbors, to use in a Sunday School class, or a children’s liturgy (remember to check with parents before hand, both for allergies and to not cross boundaries).
Baby Devotions 