Do Mormons Celebrate Halloween?
Stance of LDS Church on Halloween Observance
Some Christians avoid Halloween, while others look forward to celebrating it every year. What does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints say about its members (Mormons) observing Halloween?
No Official LDS Stance on Halloween Holiday
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no official opinion about the Halloween holiday. Individual church members are left to decide for themselves whether or not to observe Halloween, and how to celebrate it if they choose to do so. Halloween is not a religious holiday for Mormons.
Mormon Halloween Observance
Most Mormons celebrate Halloween in some way. They regard Halloween as a fun time filled with opportunities for creativity, parties, and crafts.
Latter-day Saints who don't celebrate Halloween usually choose to do so for the same reasons as other Christians who don't celebrate Halloween. They may dislike the traditional pranks and tricks associated with Halloween, or may have reservations about typical Halloween costumes or entertainment that is violent, gory, or suggestive of evil.
How Mormons Celebrate Halloween
Though there is no official LDS counsel on Halloween, church members are encouraged to let the Holy Ghost be their guide in all things. In general, Mormons are counseled to seek after anything that is "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy," and consequently avoiding anything that isn't. (Mormon 13th Article of Faith)
Most Mormons don't find it necessary to forgo Halloween completely, but generally avoid the potentially dark elements of the Halloween holiday. This may include gory or scary decorations, Halloween pranks, devil costumes, and so on.
Typical Mormon Halloween Traditions
The majority of Latter-day Saints celebrate Halloween with traditional activities like pumpkin carving, fall decorations, Halloween-shaped sugar cookies, trick-or-treating, and costume parties. The only differences might be the absence of alcohol at Mormon Halloween parties and more modest costumes instead of revealing or suggestive ones.
Many wards or branches (Mormon congregations) host a yearly "trunk or treat." During this party, adults socialize while children play fall games and go trick-or-treating from car trunk to car trunk in the church parking lot, collecting candy brought by fellow ward members.
Trunk-or-treat replaces traditional Halloween trick-or-treating for some Mormon families because of safety concerns about children trick-or-treating in the dark or accepting candy from strangers.
Mormons receive no official guidance one way or the other regarding Halloween. Instead, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages members to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost in making appropriate decisions. For the most part, however, Mormons are just like members of any other faith when it comes to celebrating Halloween.
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