New children's book seeks to teach kids Halloween's real meaning - and it's not 'glorifying darkness'

Halloween is only days away, and parents and children are flooding stores in search of the best costumes and the scariest monster, vampire and ghoul decorations.

But the author of new children's book "All Hallows' Eve" is calling on families to search for something else: the true spiritual meaning of Halloween.

"By writing this story, I wanted to try to do my little part to reclaim Halloween for what it truly is: a deeply spiritual holiday centered on prayer, penance, remembrance of the dead," said Anthony DeStefano, an author known for his Christian-themed books for adults and children.

"I wanted to give children and their parents an engaging way to celebrate Halloween in line with their faith without losing the fun, the mystery, and even the scary excitement that kids naturally love about that season."

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DeStefano said he wants his faith-based book to put "the 'hallow' back in Halloween" as celebrations and spending hit record highs. In 2025, Americans are expected to spend a record $13.1 billion on celebrating Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation.  

DeStefano says his message is especially relevant today, pointing to the death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and the shooting at a school Mass at Minneapolis' Annunciation Catholic Church, as reminders of the reality of evil and risks that can come with openly expressing one's faith.

"I do not think these are isolated events," he said. "I think they're symptoms of a deeper hostility toward faith that's been very apparent in the way Hollywood, the legacy media, the academic world, and the left have been mocking religion for decades." 

"Halloween isn't about glorifying darkness," DeStefano said. "It's about shining a light on the reality of death, the fact that eternal life has triumphed, and that's what makes it so powerful if we understand it correctly." 

DeStefano warned that modern culture has distanced itself from those roots. He said Halloween has become a "festival of evil," and embracing the dark side of the holiday can be "fundamentally unhealthy." 

Halloween has long been marked by ghost stories, cursed dolls and evil spirits. Films and tales often center on exorcisms, haunted houses and witches casting spells from bubbling cauldrons to curse others. 

He said that there has been a growing fascination within the media that "glorifies" evil and that this kind of entertainment can "dull our moral senses."

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"All Hallows' Eve" tells the story of a group of friends who stumble upon a mysterious old woman who sweeps graves in a cemetery every night, according to the book description. She prays for the souls of the dead buried below, who are stuck in purgatory, and teaches the children the true meaning of the holiday. 

Purgatory is understood as a temporary and intermediate afterlife state that provides spiritual cleansing to souls before entering heaven, per Catholic doctrine. 

In the Catholic tradition, All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day take place over three consecutive days known collectively as Allhallowtide, a time to honor the saints and pray for the souls of the dead.

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DeStefano said he's not discouraging families from enjoying the usual Halloween traditions but urged parents to teach their children about the holiday's origins and the importance of honoring the dead.

He said Halloween can also carry a message of hope. He said dressing up as a mummy, ghost, or skeleton can be a good reminder that Halloween is also a time to pray for loved ones who have passed away.

"If someone we love has died, if our grandmother or grandfather has died, someday we're going to get to see them again in heaven, and we're going to be able to run up to them again, kiss them, hug them, and feel the warmth of their skin and hear their voices again," he said. "That's what this holiday is about."