Searching for a costume at a Halloween store can invite a posture of reflection. Believers may pause and wonder: Is it really honoring God for a child to wear a creepy mask holding a fake weapon, to don a hooded cloak and pretend to be the bearer of death, or to dress up like a demon? Of course, Christians take different stances on Halloween. Some find nothing wrong with the costume play and hunt for candy. However, others worry about the influence of the occult on their children. Regardless, many parents wonder if there are any costumes that are fun to wear that also display Christian values.
Such costumes might not be found at a physical store, but they can be created with some imagination and creativity. There are numerous options that families can create – ones that children will enjoy wearing and that encourage them to think on biblical themes like love, sacrifice, hope, and perseverance.
Consider these creative Christian-themed costumes for kids this Halloween.
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Stories can convey biblical truths in captivating and imaginative ways. In them, we find characters struggling with similar situations we face, as well as characters embodying Christlikeness and serving as Christ figures. Today, we have access to many such old and new books, and kids likely already have their favorites. Choosing to dress up as a character from one of these stories is a wholesome, light-bearing way to enjoy Halloween.
Maybe your child is a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis or The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Why not dress up as Lucy Pevensie or Reepicheep, a hobbit, Ent, or one of the elves, like Galadriel? If the children are older and have read The Silmarillion, they could attempt a more difficult costume for a character such as Lúthien. Just do not forget to enlist the help of a furry friend to depict the great hound Huan!
The whole family could also get involved. Book series like The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson or The Green Ember by S. D. Smith are suitable for the entire family to participate in as a cast of characters. Grab some long socks for the character of Uncle Artham or some fuzzy wolflike ears for young Kalmar, and the costumes are almost complete. Going hunting for candy will then be a full family outing.
For an even greater challenge of creativity, consider older stories. Strapping on a backpack and grabbing a walking stick is an easy way to start a costume of Christian from The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. Or think of the hours of fun it will be for kids to imagine and create costumes to depict characters from The Princess and the Goblin or The Wise Woman by George MacDonald. Literary classics and older fairytales often carry biblical themes, which are also great choices for costume inspiration – Think Ebenezer Scrooge or Jo March.
Sometimes, we need look no further than a bookshelf to find ideas for a Christian-themed costume.
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The history of the church runs far and deep. We can learn much from those who have walked the Christian life before us, as their stories encourage us to live faithfully and courageously for our Savior. This is why the saints of the past – believers in Jesus – are important to consider as children think about their costumes for Halloween (which is also the same day as Reformation Day and is the day before All Saints’ Day). Living for the glory of God and loving others sacrificially is not only reserved for books – real people have lived this way. Saints from history can be an inspiration to our own walk with Christ, whether we are a child or adult.
Choosing to craft a costume from a Christian in the past will require some ingenuity, but that is also part of the fun. Parents can help their kids find books and other resources to learn about a specific follower of Jesus from history. Perhaps they will discover a meaningful symbol related to the person’s life or stumble upon a depiction of the individual that gives them ideas for their outfits. Not only is this a hands-on project, but children will expand their knowledge of church history.
Options include a wide variety of people, such as: Perpetua, Tertullian, St. Patrick, Martin Luther, Harriet Tubman, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Frederick Douglass, C. S. Lewis, Eric Liddell, among many others. A child could design a robe to wear for a costume of St. Patrick or don a pair of running shoes with athletic gear to depict Eric Liddell. Of course, friends and family might not know about the specific individuals. This provides another element of interaction as children share what they have learned about the believer from history. Parents and kids alike will enjoy learning about the lives of these Christians who lived out their faith in practical ways.
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Although not all stories of superheroes are based upon Christian themes, concepts such as service and sacrifice are biblical. Many children also enjoy pretending to be heroes and “saving the day.” Dressing up as superheroes is thus an option for believing families who want to emphasize goodness triumphing over evil this Halloween. Jesus Christ, the true hero, came to save us from sin and death (see 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 and 1 Timothy 1:15).
Well-known characters like Spider-Man, Superman, or Supergirl are all possibilities. Costumes for these characters can be found in stores or online. However, children might also enjoy creating their own heroes with various powers and skills to serve others. This is especially helpful for girls who might feel limited about the options of female superheroes or do not appreciate the outfits associated with existing characters.
To increase creativity, parents can encourage children to think outside the box when considering being a hero. Are there any everyday heroes they could depict through their costumes that others may not have noticed? These people may not have superhuman strength or special powers to control the weather or climb buildings, but they make a difference in the world around them – through quiet faithfulness, devotion to prayer, a kind word, and humble acts of service. This is the type of heroism our Lord demonstrated in His earthly ministry (see Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:3-8).
Therefore, children could dress up as a teacher from school, a kind waitress at a restaurant, an elderly neighbor who plants flowers to give others a glimpse of God’s beauty, or the children’s minister at church. Kids may even surprise parents and dress up as Mom or Dad. As they pretend to be heroes who display Christlike qualities, may they be inspired to shine for Christ through acts of love.
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Today, many different children’s programs and films include Christian-based values. Such can inspire kids as they choose their costumes for Halloween or a Trunk-or-Treat event. Whether from a new show or an older movie, there are many possibilities for creating a God-honoring costume.
Consider a vegetable from VeggieTales, such as Larry or Junior Asparagus. Solid-colored clothing is useful for these types of costumes. Children could even be veggies dressed up as one of the characters from the movies, like Sweetpea from Sweetpea Beauty or Larry-Boy.
Other Bible-based shows and movies, such as Bibleman, The Story Keepers, or The Prince of Egypt, are also sources of costume inspiration. Kids might enjoy shows like the Torchlighters, Adventures in Odyssey, or Berenstain Bears. For example, they may choose to make a few bear ears and some fuzzy mittens to depict Brother or Sister Bear.
Of course, other shows and movies can display Christian themes even if they are not explicitly Christian. These can also serve as options for costume ideas.
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Dressing as a Bible character is common at fall church functions and Trunk-or-Treat events. Because of this, some kids might dismiss people in the Bible as creative ideas for Halloween. However, Scripture is filled with interesting people and stories. Faithful followers of God who obeyed even when it was hard. These are people worth learning from and representing.
Popular choices include Noah, Moses, David, Jonah, Mary, and Paul. However, kids could also consider costumes that depict other characters – people like Joshua, Deborah, Samuel, Ruth, Josiah, Jeremiah, Philip, Lydia, and Luke. For instance, a boy could dress in king-like robes and hold a scroll to depict King Josiah (2 Kings 22), or a girl could wear a purple scarf for the costume of Lydia (Acts 16:11-15). Reading about the individuals in Scripture will likely generate further ideas for items and accessories.
Parents could encourage kids to wear costumes to visually show one of Jesus’ teachings or part of a parable if kids want more of a challenge. Perhaps they could dress up as the merchant who sold all he had to buy a pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46). A child may grab a toy lamb and dress up as the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). If they can find a basket or container, they could use it as part of their outfit to represent the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23).
Creating a costume from scratch allows children to interact more with the Bible and Christian themes in stories and movies. They research the people and stories, brainstorm ideas, and put together the different elements of the costume. The experience is fun, engaging, and infused with meaning as they see and touch representations of light triumphing over darkness. All this directs them to the saving work of Christ.
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