‘Counting On’: Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo Just Got Real About How to Celebrate a Holiday That Jim Bob Strictly Forbids
Counting On star Jinger Duggar comes from a family that is extremely anti-Halloween. Her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar don’t allow their kids to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating. They are fundamentalist Christians who essentially equate the holiday with Satanic cults. But now that she’s a married mom of one – with another baby on the way – Jinger has developed some of her own opinions. She and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, recently opened up about how they celebrate the holiday that her dad strictly forbids.
The ‘Counting On’ stars are the hosts of ‘The Hope We Hold’ podcast
Jinger and Jeremy moved to Los Angeles from Laredo, Texas, during the summer of 2019. She is the only one of Jim Bob and Michelle’s 19 children who currently lives outside of the family’s home state of Arkansas.
The couple moved to California so Jeremy could attend divinity school. They are still part of Counting On, and Jinger has become a social media influencer for the married young Christian crowd.
The parents of two-year-old Felicity also host a podcast together titled the Hope We Hold. Each week, Jinger and Jeremy discuss different issues relating to marriage, family, and faith. They sometimes have guests, like her sister Jessa and brother-in-law Ben Seewald.
The young couple also answers fan questions. They reference their own experiences when answering their fans, and they also quote scripture from the Bible when applicable. During a recent episode, a fan asked if they let their daughter celebrate Halloween.
Instead of avoiding the question like they have in the past, Jinger and Jeremy opened up about their beliefs.
Jeremy Vuolo has a surprisingly progressive view of Halloween
According to The Hollywood Gossip, when Jeremy answered the fan’s question about Halloween, he urged them to think about it in a different way.
“A lot of us see certain holidays as a social construct where if you grow up and your idea of Halloween is having your friends over, going trick and treating around your neighborhood, have fun and laugh with your parents, and you get to dress up,” Jeremy said. “As far as that goes, then today Christians can enjoy it.”
Jeremy noted that if people study the history of Halloween, they will find “very disturbing origins.” He pointed out that “what some people choose to do on Halloween is disturbing.” The pastor also acknowledged that other Christian holidays, like Christmas and Easter, have pagan origins.
Jinger chimed in with a Bible reference. She said that the text that came to her mind was “to the pure, all things are pure.” Jeremy went on to say that as a society, giving out candy to kids and dressing up is “objectively harmless.”
“But if you begin to find your family is bringing in a darkness, or kids are starting to be influenced by the Satanic origins of the holiday, then you can evaluate it on a deeper level,” Jeremy said.
Jinger concluded her Halloween thoughts by encouraging fans to ask themselves what “really matters.” They should be asking if it is something they can participate in with a clean conscience.
Former ‘Counting On’ star Jill Duggar allows her kids to celebrate Halloween
Jinger isn’t the only Duggar who has a more liberal view of Halloween than her parents. Her sister Jill has become the big rebel in the family, and she allows her sons Israel and Samuel to dress up and go trick-or-treating.
“We had a blast. We enjoyed dressing up this evening. And going out for some family fall fun and Halloween freebies & deals!” Jill wrote on Instagram.
Jill shared a pic of her family with her sons in costume. She revealed that they stopped first at Sonic for 50 cent corn dogs. Their second stop was at Chipotle for $4 “booritos.”
“3rd stop was to @krispykreme for some free donuts,” Jill revealed. “The hot light was on so they asked us if we wanted the free glazed ones in addition to the free donut of our choice!!”
In the comments, fans debated over Jill’s choice to take her kids out trick-or-treating and enjoy “free stuff.” Some called her a hypocrite. But most were extremely supportive of the young mom doing things her own way.
Episodes of Counting On are available on Hulu.
