Here’s a story that might help.
Aiden’s Halloween Message of Hope
Aiden hid on his big front porch chair, watching shadows move across the yard as pumpkins flickered from the neighbors’ porches. He was tired of all the spookiness— spiders, witches, and skeletons everywhere. Some kids in his class loved to play scary pranks, but Aiden didn’t understand why Halloween had to be about frightening others.
That evening, his very old great-grandmother came to visit. She moved slowly, leaning on her cane, her silver hair frizzy under her wide-brimmed hat, her hands thin and bony. She looked almost like the witches he’d seen in Halloween decorations. But Aiden knew his great-grandmother was the kindest person he’d ever met.
Seeing him sitting quietly, she hobbled over and sat down beside him. “Are you worried about Halloween?” she asked in her gentle, crackly voice. Aiden nodded.
“It’s so… mean,” he whispered, feeling a bit silly. “Why does everyone want to be scary?”
His great-grandmother smiled, a soft, knowing smile. “Halloween didn’t start as a time to frighten people. Long ago, it was a night to remember loved ones and to share hope in the face of things that feel scary.”
“Really?” Aiden asked, his eyes widening. He hadn’t thought of Halloween that way before.
“Jesus always brought light to the darkness,” his great-grandmother said, squeezing his hand. “When people felt lost or afraid, He reminded them of His love, of His strength, of His peace. Just as we can bring kindness and hope, even on a night full of spooky things.”
Aiden felt a warmth inside him. “So… can I do that too? Spread kindness on Halloween?”
His great-grandmother nodded. “Let’s show others that love can be brighter than fear.”
The next year Aiden was prepared. He made little cards with messages of kindness and hope, and about following Jesus. He handed them out as he walked around, dressed not as something scary, but as a shining knight. When he saw kids pulling pranks or teasing, he would hand them a card, and soon enough, they smiled back. He even gave one to a friend who had jumped out and scared him once or twice.
That Halloween night, as he arrived home, his great-grandmother was there. He shared with her what he had done. He told her he realized that Halloween didn’t feel so scary anymore. With a heart full of courage and a pocket full of thank-you notes from his neighbors, he knew that he had helped spread Jesus’ message of love and light on a night that once made him feel afraid.
