Summerween Reveals Why We Keep Searching for Joy That Lasts

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What Is Summerween and Why Is It Trending Again?

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. If you’ve noticed an increase in Halloween decorations showing up in stores, there is a reason for it. Retailers, such as Michaels, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Walmart, are pushing out more decor to jump on the latest “Summerween” trend- an unofficial holiday that blends summer activities with Halloween themes and decorations. According to a report on Axios, “The Summerween concept originated with a 2012 episode of Disney Channel's 'Gravity Falls,' but has grown in recent years because of social media.” Parade provides further details: 

“Summerween has a few different meanings. For some, it’s a specific day of celebrating Halloween early—usually on either June 22… For others, it’s referring to a season—how they describe an extended period of time in the warmer months while they’re either stocking up on spooky decor and shopping new Halloween collections that drop in the summer…”

However you choose to define it, the trend is generating significant business. The National Retail Federation reported that the percentage of consumers shopping for Halloween before October increased from 32% in 2014 to 47% in 2024.

Trends like these and many others show us not only the influence that social media has on what captures our attention and focus, but they also reveal a peek into the deeper longings of the heart. Could the pursuit of something seemingly innocent, like Summerween, reveal what our hearts are looking to for joy, purpose, and eternal hope?

Can Summerween Reveal Our Desire to Escape?

Escapism is when a person uses an activity or behavior to escape life’s realities. One might participate in the latest trends because they seem fun or entertaining. Yet do we stop to consider how the pursuit of such novelties can subtly distract us from what truly matters? Does the rush of participating in the latest craze provide a false sense of meaning or temporary fulfillment that cannot last? Temporary, fleeting fulfillment? Think about it,  have you ever experienced feeling a sense of emptiness, despite your best efforts to find fulfillment? Could it be because we are looking to escape, searching for satisfaction in the wrong places, like the people of God in Jeremiah 2:13:

“For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me— the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” (NLT)

During this period in Judah, the most reliable source of water was a natural spring. It was clear. It was consistent. It was dependable. It was refreshing. However, instead of relying on the natural sources, they began digging out cisterns, hand-hewn pits or reservoirs used to store rainwater, often lined or covered in some way, and a cracked cistern could not hold water. This required a great amount of effort to build. Unfortunately, over time, the cisterns would develop cracks. As a result, even if they collected the rainwater, it would just leak right back out.

Why Temporary Trends Cannot Truly Satisfy Us

Similarly, when we chase these trends, or anything outside of Christ, for that matter,  it may feel satisfying in the moment, but it will soon leave us feeling empty. In essence, we are creating our own “cisterns”. Just as quickly as these trends can peak, they can also fade, leaving us on the search once again. As the fountain of living water, or a flowing spring, God is the source of everlasting life.

• Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters (Isaiah 55:1a ESV)
• Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:10-14) NASB1995
• On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, (D)out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-39)

Steven Smith, in his commentary on Jeremiah 2:13, said it like this, “...if we forget how we have been loved by God, we will certainly look for something else to fill that void.”

Where Do Christians Find True Joy?

What is it that makes participating in something like Summerween seem so exciting? Is it the decor, the parties, the laughter shared with friends? The chance to escape reality for a little while. Perhaps. However, when we pause to reflect on what these moments really are, we see that they are temporary diversions. Solomon in Ecclesiastes describes this as “chasing after the wind.” Always reaching but never truly satisfied. But Jesus offers us something that is deeper and far more lasting.

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” - John 15:11.

Joy that is full. Complete. The Greek word plēroō literally means to be ‘fill to the full’. Can you imagine how our perspectives, pursuits, and passions would change if we recognized the gift that we have already been given? True joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is not the result of finding purpose or fulfillment in quick trends, but of a life rooted in and intentionally abiding in Christ.Though sometimes associated with gladness or happiness, biblical joy “is a delight of the mind arising from the consideration of a present or assured possession of a future good.^[1]” More than emotion, it is a state of being—a calm delight. When we embrace true joy, we’re able to find contentment and peace in knowing that we are chosen, loved, and secure in our Savior. “The joy of the Lord was God’s goal for His people, and they were to find in Him the subject, the source, and the object of their joy. God’s people were never supposed to find their joy in anything that in any way opposed the Lord.”^[2]

Why Eternal Hope Gives Us More Than Any Trend Can Offer 

“Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.” - Psalm 33:22

Apart from Jesus, there is no true hope. The trends we chase may offer a distraction or temporary excitement, but they can never satisfy the deeper longing of our hearts. Only Christ provides the hope that is lasting and sure. I love how one commentary summarized it, “The testimony of the Lord’s people is one of (a) constancy of hope (confident expectation), not just of the final outcome—future and eternal hope—but the hope which assures us that in every circumstance he is our help and our shield.^[3]”

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us, “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Romans 8:24-25) This hope not only fills us with joy but also gives our lives purpose, meaning, and direction. It’s a reminder of what’s to come and invites us into something greater - to know our Savior deeply and make Him known to a world that’s still searching.   

Frequently Asked Questions about Summerween and Christian Joy

• What is Summerween?
   Summerween is an unofficial trend that blends summer activities with Halloween themes, decorations, shopping, and parties.
• Is Summerween wrong for Christians?
   Summerween is not automatically wrong, but Christians should ask whether any trend is shaping their attention, desires, or hope more than Christ.
• Why do trends like Summerween feel exciting?
   Trends can feel exciting because they offer novelty, escape, shared experience, and temporary joy, but they cannot satisfy the deeper thirst of the soul.
• Where does the Bible say true joy is found?
   The Bible teaches that true joy is found in Christ, produced by the Holy Spirit, and rooted in the lasting hope believers have in God.

For Further Reading

• Halloween Origins Traditions and Whether Christians Should Celebrate It
• Should Christians Embrace or Avoid Halloween Traditions?
• What Is Joy in Christianity?
• What Does Living Water Mean in the Bible?
• What Is the Hope in Christ?

Photo Credit: SWN Design via CanvaPro

^[1] Merrill Frederick Unger et al., The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).
^[2] Eugene E. Carpenter and Philip W. Comfort, Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 98.
^[3] J. A. Motyer, “The Psalms,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 506.
 Photo Credit: chat GPT

Lekeisha Maldon is a speaker, Bible teacher, and counselor who is deeply passionate about inspiring and empowering women to lead transformed lives through the power of Christ. She has authored "Pages From My Heart: A Devotional For Women" and curated a 5-day plan titled "From Worry To Worship" on the YourVersion Bible App. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Vinewords Devotions & More, Iridescent Women, and Revell Books. Lekeisha has organized several women's ministry events, been a guest speaker for various organizations such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship campus ministries, and led domestic and international mission trips. Outside of her ministry endeavors, she is a seasoned IT Business consultant with nearly 20 years of experience. She holds degrees in Business Management and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling. She is married to her best friend, Charles, and is the proud mother to her beautiful baby girl. To learn more visit her website walkthenarrowway.com or connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit Christianity.com.