How was yours? It was a subdued year in our neighborhood. The hurricane forced home owners to take their decorations down until it passed and after it was over, many neighbors were too exhausted to put them back up.

Decorations weren’t the only problem. Three bags of candy cost me $50 and I live in a state with no extra grocery taxes. There is a good chance inflation dampened the spirit of the holiday and many homes turned their lights off.

Some of our child’s friends bowed out of participation at all because their church doesn’t care for the demonic overtones of the evening. I would not presume to tell any Christian they are wrong because they opt out… but I love Halloween.

Bright candy colors! Children in adorable costumes! The contrast between orange and black! I love the aesthetic of spooky, rickety old houses under bare trees and a purple sky. The plastic cauldron full of Twix bars doesn’t hurt my feelings either.

But I think what I love most about October is it’s the month when we acknowledge the true nature of evil. All of the good scary movies are triumphs of good over that evil, and some of the best ones acknowledge Christianity’s role in that win.

I’m sure there are some people who use this time of year to celebrate evil, but I’m not one of them. I’ve seen people use Halloween as an excuse to wear a naughty costume, that happens too. For me and my family, it’s a month long appreciation of pumpkins, autumn leaves and films that battle evil on a supernatural level. I’m sad to see it go.