✨ What Halloween Is Really About -All Saints’ Day / An Ancient Christian Tradition, a Forgotten Celebration🕊️
Updated: Nov 2
Beautiful New Beginning
By Emel Michael | Sunday, 1 November 2026
Hello, my beloveds! ❤️
Today is All Saints’ Day, ✝️and I would love to share something that has been growing in my heart, especially after the many wonderful messages and conversations I have been having with some of you. Firstly, thank you to everyone who has reached out to me after watching my recent reels about Halloween, the Christian faith, and the influences we allow into our homes and the lives of our children.
Your thoughts, questions and encouragement have inspired me to take this conversation one step further.
And I have a rather wonderful idea that I believe many of you, particularly parents, might love! 🥰
What if we rediscovered an ancient Christian tradition and introduced it to our children in a completely joyful and imaginative way?
Something that does not need to be rooted in fear, monsters or frightening imagery.
But instead, in the light of Jesus Christ.
Before I share more, I would love to explain the history behind these sacred days, because I believe many of us have forgotten something quite remarkable. ❤️🔥 Did you know..
Today, Halloween is a truly occult holiday for many Celtic Neo-Pagans, Wiccan witches and Satanists alike.
I was also being trained to be a high witch 🧙 by my mentor. I even saw his mothers necklace made of silver with markings, which didn’t feel good. I felt darkness from it. Like the object itself was cursed.😳
Many who are involved in the dark arts and traffic in spiritism, view Halloween as a religious holiday and are acutely aware that it is rooted in the occult. (Hutton, Ronald, The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy, Oxford: Blackwell, 1991, pp. 327–341)
Doreen Valiente
Witch and Wiccan high priestess, Doreen Valiente, who authored "The Witches’ Rune" and helped pen a significant amount of the occult content that is foundational to modern day Wicca, stated that Halloween is a special holiday for witches.
Valiente helped formulate modern Wicca (known as Gardnerian Wicca) after it was first created by Satanist Gerald Gardner, who was also a disciple of Satanist Aleister Crowley and a member of Crowley’s satanic organization known as the O.T.O. Halloween is considered a satanic holiday for many confessing Satanists, and for obvious reasons, as it is a day where demons, witches and devils are glorified. The first Greater Church of Lucifer in Houston, Texas chose Halloween as the perfect day to officially open its doors to the public
According to Anton LaVey, who founded the Church of Satan in 1966 and authored The Satanic Bible in 1969, Halloween is the third highest day on the satanic calendar for Satanists. LaVey wrote in The Satanic Bible
He said: “After one’s own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May 1st) and Halloween.” (LaVey, Anton Szandor, The Satanic Bible, 1969, p. 96)
The Scriptures tell us:
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b).
“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
When we came to Christ we were delivered “from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God”(Acts 26:18), should we then return to Satan’s kingdom and celebrate after having been set free?
MOVING TO THE LIGHT & 💡 TRUE ORIGINS -
Greek katholikos, meaning universal or according to the whole. This is a beautiful description of the Church's mission: to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations and peoples.
“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).
Rather than dressing up like demons, witches and devils, we are to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
We are told in 3 John 1:11 “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.”
I know better than imitating Druidic paganism:
“Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the nations…”
It traces its origins to Jesus Christ and His apostles, making it one of the ancient traditions of Christianity, alongside the other historic apostolic Churches.⛪️
The Catholic Church professes in mass, itself to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic. Apostolic because its faith, teaching and ministry have been passed down through the centuries from the apostles. You learn something new everyday. 🥰 all documented through time.
Think 🤔 about that for a moment.✨
We are speaking about a living tradition that reaches back to the earliest followers of Jesus Christ!
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter:
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church..." — KJV. Where the secrets of heaven are revealed. “From the foundations of the Earth” 🌍
Within this sacred tradition, the saints have a particularly important place. Missionary monks have risked their lives, lived in poverty, learnt other languages lived amongst villages and people so they could see, through action, what Jesus was about. Many people confuse the native people’s being forced into Christianity when they actually were not, especially the Spanish monasteries and monks, who would go out into the world and share the word just as St Paul did. Many died on their mission such as 5 famous Priests. The five Spanish Franciscan missionaries who went out from Spain into the Guale villages of coastal Georgia (Spanish Florida) and were killed in September 1597 are known as the Georgia Martyrs
They remind us of the extraordinary people who followed Jesus through persecution, suffering, sacrifice, love and devotion. They are not worshipped as gods. Worship belongs to God alone.
Rather, the saints are honoured as witnesses to His grace and as examples of what happens when a human life is surrendered to Christ.🥰 Are you with me so far?
How the Traditions Overlapped and Evolved
Pre-Christian Celtic Samhain (Over 2,000 years ago): The ancient Celts in Ireland, the UK, and northern France celebrated Samhain on October 31 to mark the end of the harvest and the start of winter. They believed the boundary between the living and the dead thinned, and people wore animal skins, heads, or disguises to confuse or ward off roaming spirits.
Christianization & All Hallows' Eve (8th–9th Century): The Catholic Church established All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2 to honor saints, martyrs, and the dead, turning the evening of October 31 into All Hallows' Eve.
Medieval "Souling" and "Mumming" (15th–16th Century): Christians in Europe developed customs like "souling" (going door-to-door for soul-cakes in exchange for prayers for the dead) and "mumming" or "guising". Over time, people wore disguises or scary outfits to personify winter spirits, demons, or souls of the dead.
19th-Century Immigration to America: Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these mixed folk customs to the United States. Rural Americans embraced the darker, spookier imagery of the holiday, making homemade scary or gothic costumes out of sheets and makeup.
20th-Century Commercialization (1930s–1950s): Companies like Ben Cooper began mass-producing boxed Halloween costumes (depicting monsters, ghosts, witches, and pop-culture characters), shifting the night into a child-focused, commercial, and largely secular celebration of fright and fun by the mid-20th century
I believe people should still feel free to ask:
What do I want to introduce into the imagination of my child?
What kinds of characters do I want them to admire? What qualities do I want them to develop? And what traditions do I want to pass down through my family? These are important questions. Not because we should live in fear, but because we have a responsibility to guide our children with wisdom.
The Spiritual Battle Between Darkness and Light
The Bible teaches us to be spiritually discerning.
Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil.👿
And in Romans 12:2, we are instructed:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..." — KJV
What an important reminder in the times we are living in. We are surrounded by entertainment, advertising, technology, opinions and ideologies that constantly compete for our attention. It is easy to follow what everybody else is doing without considering whether it agrees with the values we wish to live by.
Yet as Christians, we are called to exercise discernment.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:22:
"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." — KJV
All Saints’ Day — The Heroes of Heaven
On 1 November, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints.
This is a celebration of all the saints who share in the glory of Heaven, including the many faithful souls whose names are known only to God.
In Revelation 7:9, St John describes:
"A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues..." — KJV
And here is something I find beautiful.
The saints were not all famous, wealthy or powerful.
Some were poor.
Some were children.
Some were mothers and fathers.
Some were teachers, musicians or healers.
Some were extraordinary defenders of the faith.
Others lived quiet lives of prayer, love and service.
Their lives remind us that we are all called to holiness.
Jesus Himself tells us:
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." — Matthew 5:9, KJV
These are the values I would love our children to become familiar with.
What If Our Children Dressed as Heavenly Heroes?
Now, my beloveds, this is where my imagination begins to light up! 🥰
Imagine an All Saints’ celebration where children dress as the extraordinary figures of Christian history.
Think of St Michael the Archangel, the great heavenly defender portrayed in Revelation defeating the dragon.
Imagine a child wearing little wings, holding a shield, and learning what it means to stand for goodness and protect someone who is vulnerable.
Or St Francis of Assisi, who loved animals and, according to beloved Christian traditions, even preached to the birds. A child could dress in a simple brown robe, carrying a little toy bird or wolf, and learn the importance of kindness towards God's creation.
What about St Joan of Arc, whose extraordinary courage and faith continue to inspire people centuries later?
Or St Bernadette, the young girl who reported seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes?
St Josephine Bakhita
St Faustina, who reported that Jesus
asked for an image of His Divine Mercy to be painted.
St Cecilia, the patron saint of music
St Carlo Acutis, the modern young saint who used computers to share his Catholic faith.
Imagine how excited children could become when discovering these stories!
They could dress as their favourite saint, learn about their lives, and practise one beautiful virtue inspired by them. Suddenly, costumes become more than entertainment.
They become opportunities for learning, prayer and acts of kindness.
👚👗👖🧥
A child inspired by St Francis could care for an animal.🦋🐸🪽
A child inspired by St Michael could defend someone being bullied. 🗡️
A child inspired by St Faustina could learn forgiveness.
A child inspired by St Cecilia could offer a song of praise. 🎵
What a wonderful way to bring the lives of the saints into our homes!
Three Sacred Days — A Beautiful Family Celebration
Rather than allowing these days to pass unnoticed, what if we created a joyful three-day tradition?
31 October — All Hallows’ Eve
A celebration of preparation, light and discovery. Families could gather for an evening of storytelling, music, creative costumes and activities inspired by the saints.
And yes, there can still be sweets, laughter and wonderful memories!
A celebration of the saints and the promise of Heaven. 👼 Families could attend Mass together, share a special meal, sing songs and reflect upon the extraordinary examples of holiness throughout Christian history. Children could enjoy a Saints' Treasure Hunt, Imagine how much they could discover through play! (Would you like to know more on how to play this game? Dm Emel_Michael on Instagram) or simply wait for the book 📕
2 November — All Souls’ Day
A day of loving remembrance, prayer and Christian hope.
A Special Project Inspired by Our Conversations
And this brings me to something very close to my heart.❤️ After hearing from so many of you, I have been developing something especially for children and families. ✨
A beautiful, illustrated guide introducing the lives of 49 heavenly heroes, including saints, biblical figures and the archangels.
Each story will introduce children to the remarkable characteristics, virtues and experiences associated with these figures, together with a little prayer, ideas for dressing up, and creative activities. The aim is to help parents introduce their children to the beauty of the Christian faith in a way that is joyful, imaginative and easy to understand.
The project is called:
WE ARE ALL BORN TO BE SAINTS ✨49 Heavenly Heroes to Inspire Children Because I believe that every child should grow up knowing they are precious in the sight of God. That they can learn to be courageous. That they can choose kindness. That they can discover the power of forgiveness. And that they are called to become lights in the world. This isn't about taking joy away from children.
It's about offering them another beautiful way to experience it! And perhaps, with the encouragement of parents, churches, teachers and like-minded families, we can begin to bring greater attention to this wonderful Christian tradition. Not simply for one year, but for generations to come.
My beloveds, I hope this reflection has encouraged you.❤️🔥 IF YOU WISH TO ORDER A COPY, LET ME KNOW by sending me a message.
We live in a world where so many ideas 💡and influences are presented to our children. We cannot remove every influence, nor should we raise them to be fearful of everything they encounter.
Jesus tells us:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." — Matthew 5:14, KJV
So let us be that light.
In our homes.
In our families.
In our communities.
And in the hearts ♥️ of our children.
Let us bring back the wonder of the saints and create beautiful traditions filled with love, music, storytelling, creativity and faith.
A Little Prayer for All Saints’ Day
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the lives of all Your saints, who have shown us how to follow Your Son, Jesus Christ.
May their courage inspire us, their kindness soften our hearts, and their faith remind us that nothing is impossible through Your grace.
Holy Spirit, guide our children, protect their hearts and fill their lives with Your light.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary remind us to say yes to God's will, and may St Michael the Archangel inspire us to stand courageously for what is good.
Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth help us become shining examples of Your love in the world.
Amen.
If this has inspired you, please like and share. ❤️
I would also love to hear from parents.
Let us share our ideas and encourage one another! 🥰
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