Rather than shutting their doors on Halloween, churches across the UK are finding creative ways to engage their communities and share the gospel. Here are three ways Christians can turn a night associated with darkness into an opportunity to shine the light of Christ
Ephesians 5:11 explicitly instructs Christians to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
For many Christians, turning off the lights and refusing to answer the door when 31 October comes around seems an appropriate response to the first part of Paul’s instruction. But is it possible that, in doing so, we are neglecting the second?
Here are some ways churches and Christians are choosing not to switch off their lights this Halloween, but to shine them all the brighter, turning an occasion associated with darkness into an opportunity to share the light of Christ.
1. Turn your church into a celebration of light
Rather than closing their doors on Halloween, some churches are throwing them wide open and transforming their buildings into celebrations of light.
St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston, for example, has hosted Light on a Dark Night. The church turns its building into an immersive journey from darkness to light. Families enter a spooky Battle Zone, where they take on a series of challenges before arriving at the cross and discovering that Jesus has already won the battle for them. They then move into a Light Zone filled with music, fairy lights, food, hot drinks and crafts — creating a joyful, gospel-centred alternative to Halloween.
The Catholic initiative Night of Light, meanwhile, seeks to reclaim Halloween’s origins as the eve of All Saints’ Day. Celebrations around the world include children dressing up as saints, candlelit gatherings, special Masses and overnight prayer and adoration, all pointing towards Christ as the light of the world.
And church buildings aren’t the only places where this can happen. Some congregations have taken their celebrations onto the streets, establishing ‘Light Beacons’ where families can enjoy refreshments, activities and conversations about faith.
“We estimate that around 200 people join us at our beacon each year,” Andrew Bates, outreach team leader at New Life Church, told Premier Christianity.
2. Organise a pumpkin trail
At St Lawrence’s Church in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, Halloween has become an opportunity to bring an entire village together.
The church organises an annual pumpkin trail, inviting residents to display creatively carved pumpkins outside their homes. Rather than embracing the usual frightening faces, participants are encouraged to create designs reflecting light, joy and generosity.
“We get lots of animal pumpkins, or mini worlds stuffed with Playmobil figures, as well as overtly Christian ones from the church participants,” Rev Andrew Cinnamond said of the event.
Families follow a map around the village, with posters at participating houses inviting them to finish their journey at the church, where hot chocolate, popcorn, sweets and Christian activities await.
In 2023, the event attracted around 200 children, alongside parents and grandparents, creating opportunities for conversations about faith and invitations to future church events.
3. Give trick-or-treaters more than sweets
You don’t need a church building or an organised event to share the gospel on Halloween. Sometimes, all it takes is answering the front door.
Trick or Truth boxes offer a simple way to turn trick-or-treating into an opportunity for evangelism. The boxes can be filled with sweets and Christian resources, introducing children and their families to the gospel in an engaging way.
Available in a range of sizes, the home pack contains 20 boxes, while the church pack contains 50, making them suitable for everything from welcoming children at the front door and youth groups to larger church outreach events with the XL pack that offers 250 boxes. The Trick or Truth website lists 26 October as its final ordering date for Halloween 2026.
Others have taken a more homemade approach. One TikTok creator shared her idea for a ‘S’More of Jesus’ box, containing the ingredients for s’mores alongside Bible verses and gospel tracts.
It’s a small gesture, but one that turns a familiar Halloween tradition into an opportunity to something far greater than skittles.
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