About every fifth house in my subdivision has a plastic skeleton in it. Some have plastic tombstones to boot. Halloween has evolved into one of the biggest holidays behind Christmas in America.
My point in this is not to bash it or to hallow it (pun). But simply to point out the great irony, and to maybe point to something in our psyche about it. We have come a long way in the last generation (40 years) of a pumpkin on the porch.
After all, we have for the last century, tried to hide death. We spend billions on trying to fake people into thinking we are younger than we are. Think about the millions spent on adding (or at least keeping more) hair. Some buy plugs, some buy wigs, some buy color- all in the name of looking younger- and thus more attractive. Why is young attractive? It is not just the sexual motivation. Most, older adults have moved way past wanting more sexual adventures, yet the push to look younger is more prevalent among those who are not so young. Let me add- wrinkle cream, botox, plastic lifts of all kinds. The object of this is not just for actual health (which going to the gym adds) but a kind of fake health. Of course there are more subtle motivations to try to look younger- beautiful people tend to be thought of more positively and get a good first impression, tend to be more popular, etc.
When someone actually dies, we try to hide the gruesomeness of it. The mortician is called in to make them look and smell good so we will feel good (or at least better) about their passing.
So why are we now adding plastic death decorations to our yards? Most would say it is just part of the fun, and smile with a call to "lighten up." But I am just curious... why are plastic skeletons fun?
Truth is, death is something that comes to us all- even more certain than taxes. It is the great equalizer- despite the eulogies, great coffins, and parades of queens and leaders. In a hundred years the street signs named after someone have lost their meaning.
Here are some statistics: About 70% of Americans celebrate Halloween. $10.6 billion is spent up about half a billion over the year before. We may not spend more on Halloween, but we decorate more- second to only Christmas.
So my theory of our love for scary and death in October is simply letting our fear and fascination of death have an outlet. But like most things, if we lose our balance, and are overly fascinated with death- we can begin to give more power to death than it ought to have. I think about that Blue Oyster Cult song, "Don't Fear the Reaper" which encourages worship of the god of the dead. There is a God of the dead, but it is the God of life. The Resurrection of Jesus (and his raising of others) is a reminder that God makes life out of chaos and gives hope even in the hopelessness of death. Christian martyrs are a great image here. They died- and died a brave death. For the Romans (and for others today) death is the final punishment. But Christians believe we conquer even in death. So don't fear the reaper- not because it is simply inevitable- but because there is the hope of life in and after death in (and with faith in) Christ.
Prayer: Lord, Help me to be one who emphasizes life in the face of death. We pray for those who are afraid of death and of the things around death. Let your light of life shine through me.
