What Are You Doing for Halloween This Year?
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With less than a month to go (how?!), Halloween has been a big discussion topic for a lot of parents lately (me included). As with a lot of COVID-related situations, disagreements are common; some people feel that trick or treating can be done safely, while others think it’s a bad idea this year, period.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has offered some suggestions for a safe holiday, as has the CDC, while Parents suggested 15 socially distanced Halloween activities. (Some states are even recommending trick-or-treaters wipe down Halloween candy, while experts are mixed.)
How about your family? What are you doing for Halloween this year? What do you consider to be safe/unsafe activities?
In the past, we’ve talked about celebrating Halloween as a mom, suggested allergy-friendly treats you already have at home, and asked whether you dress up with your kids for Halloween and about your post-Halloween candy strategy.
What are your Halloween plans this year?
School: Whether your kids are exclusively learning remotely, going to school every day, or doing a combination of the two, is their school celebrating Halloween in any way?
Last year, my son’s fourth-grade class dressed in costume and had a class party, but I have no idea what will happen this time around, if anything. (Some of the kids are remote-only, and some are doing a hybrid arrangement like my son is.) I hope the school can find something small and safe to do rather than ignore the holiday all together.
Neighborhood: Do you usually take your kids trick or treating in your neighborhood, and do you have an idea of what your neighbors will or won’t be doing this year? Would you feel safe handing our candy and/or having your kids get candy from neighbors? If so, extra precautions will you take (e.g., wiping down candy wrappers)? I’m sure you’ve seen this candy chute making the rounds online… (I guess we can now add “candy chute” to “maskne” and other new 2020 vocabulary words. Whee!)
Family: If your kids are big Halloween fans like mine is (I am too!), will you be doing anything special this year to make up for what they’re missing out on, such as extra baking, extra decorating, or new and fun home activities?
I’m glad that we can still do some of our favorite things this year — decorate the house and yard, carve pumpkins, eat more candy and doughnuts than usual…
Readers, do tell: What will your Halloween look like this year? How disappointed will your kids be if your Halloween doesn’t measure up?
I just bought some Halloween treat bags and I’m going to hide them around the house and let the kids collect them with their little pumpkins. Pondering maybe doing creature makeup or something also.
Our neighborhood is doing yard trick-or-treating. No knocking on doors, but socially-distant candy distribution for those who want to participate. We’re going to give that a try.
I’m not sure on trick or treating. I did sign up to do the “zoo boo” in our city – i assume the zoo will be following best practices it can and it will be outdoors obviously. trying to come up with fun alternative things for the kids since they’re used to going to a couple halloween parties a year.
Our nursery doesn’t normally do a big thing on Halloween but my son will be in that Friday and I thought I’d let him wear his farmer costume (which is his flannel top, jeans, and a straw hat). There doesn’t seem to be any recommendations from the government or council on guising, so I’m sure we’ll get a few. Need to get candy as last year we were caught out short and had to hide in the dark.
We have been in a distance pod with my parents, my sister and her three kids, and my aunt so we will all gather at my parents’ lakehouse with kids in costumes. We’re making “spooky” food, havng a big spider pinata the kids made (really my mom and aunt seem to be making), and we’ll hide candy in easter eggs for a flashlight hunt after dark. I think there will be kids trick or treating here still, which we aren’t comfortable with (the straight up to your door variety), so this takes us away from it all. I will put some non-food treats (likely slime/stickers/whatever) on the porch with a sign.
We’re planning to trick or treat and hand out candy fairly normally, though I think we’ll finally pull the fire pit to the driveway and sit out there (which we’re always saying we should do) so kids don’t come to the door. From speaking to neighbors and Nextdoor, I think that more people than not will be doing the same. It’s outside and our neighborhood is big and spread out enough that it should be perfectly easy to stay apart.
Usually, there are a few other trick-or-treat style events around town on the surrounding days, but I haven’t heard of any yet other than the zoo, which is sort of spendy. Kids are in school, but I haven’t heard about any plans yet.
Small outdoor party with two kids my child is already exposed to regularly. Dress up for school.
We’re planning to dress up and walk around the neighborhood masked. We will wave at friends and admire costumes from a distance. We wont collect candy. I’ve told my kids I’ll just buy them candy this year.
Still deciding. I won’t be taking my kids trick or treating, but my younger one is too young to know that’s a thing and my older one is a bit over it anyway. I will get them both costumes, though. We’re still decorating outside. I’m thinking through some ideas for how to responsibly hand out candy. I saw a suggestion to use easter eggs with tiny glow sticks and candy inside in the yard so that kids can grab an egg. I think my kids might like rushing out to put more out as well. Might also put a table out at the edge of the yard with treat bags spaced apart (same thing, send my older one out to replace the bags). We’ll see.
I mentioned this in a prior thread, but we are leaving town for Halloween. We have a cabin the woods — we’re going up for a long weekend and plan a “haunted” flashlight hike, buy all the favorite candies, and watch movies.
My sister got COVID back in March and is still not healthy, so we are being super cautious. I don’t want us hiding inside while kids ring the doorbell. (Not unheard of in our neighborhood when we turn out the lights.) I don’t want my kids to feel like they are missing out (again) on something that their friends are doing. By leaving town, it enables us to make a new tradition without being around the people who have a greater risk tolerance than we do.
The only definite thing we’re doing is costumes and an outdoor parade on Friday at daycare. Daycare normally had a big Halloween carnival/charity event, which of course isn’t happening this year, and I’m bummed about that especially because we missed it last year due to illness and I was so excited to finally go.
I bought tickets for Boo at the Zoo but not sure we’ll go (I commented above) and it’s TBD what our neighborhood decides about trick or treating and whether we’ll participate. I don’t want to do normal trick or treating because I expect many people would answer the door not in masks, even in our liberal neighborhood. I might participate in grab-and-go candy bowls or in trick- or-treating with a mask requirement. Someone in our neighborhood suggested the kids sit outside their houses in costume while adults drive by and throw candy at them like a Fourth of July parade. I thought that was absolutely hilarious and would love it to see it happen but it probably won’t.
We are putting together treat bags and setting them out on tables at the bottom of the driveway, then we will sit out at the top of the driveway to wave hi and keep an eye on the candy. Our HOA sent around many options for folks to participate – porch light off if not participating, white luminary if doing socially distant (drive way tables, zip lines, etc.), or regular participating. Asked that everyone wear masks (actual, not costume masks). Our houses are pretty far apart, and there aren’t *that* many kids, so I think it will be fun. Socially distant costume parade, virtual pumpkin carving contest, “boo buddies” for folks who can’t participate, etc. Canceled the usual neighborhood parties. I’m pretty pleased with the creative thinking they put together.
Backyard flashlight candy hunt with my two kids plus three kids from daycare who live in our neighborhood. Masks required for all (kids are all used to them at daycare anyway). I’m so excited to hang out and chat with other adults. And because it’s so few people we have decided to just reschedule if it’s not nice out on Halloween night.
We are going to make a coronavirus pinata, fill it with candy, and then smash it to bits.
Live in an apartment and the kids are excited about an indoor candy hunt. We are also going virtual trick-or-treating where during each call with family to show off the costumes we’ll give the kids something fun (stickers, activity book, small toy). Also doing pumpkin carving with the oldest’s friends over zoom as well.