How to enjoy Halloween safely in 2020

I will trade you two Snickers for a Milky Way Candy Bar

Written by our Founder and CEO, our Celebrations Pulse Letters aim to engage with our community. From sharing stories to welcoming your ideas, we want to help you to express, connect, and celebrate the important people in your life.

What’s your earliest memory of Halloween? Think back to when you were a child. For a lot of kids, this year will be very different. One of our earliest memories was “sorting our loot,” where we would go through all our trick-or-treating candy. We would barter and develop trades such as two Snickers for a Milky Way candy bar.

The word “Halloween” conjures up images of many time-honored traditions. From trick-or-treating and crowded costume parties to screams of terror inside haunted houses, it’s a holiday full of creativity and excitement.

Halloween looks different in 2020

But the way we celebrate Halloween has also changed a lot over the years. What was once a day for children and their parents has become a season now celebrated almost as energetically by young adults. Many have moved seamlessly from costume parades to costume bar crawls.

Due to the current climate we find ourselves in this year, many of us -- not just our young children -- will be forced to change how they celebrate. There is no doubt the pandemic will put a damper on Halloween. Things will certainly look different and communities are learning how to respond appropriately.

Though this Halloween will not look the same as those in the past, that doesn’t mean the celebrations, or the best parts of this occasions should stop. While it’s undoubtedly a tough fall, a bit of festivity and laughter can go a long way for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

COVID changes the way we approach occasions

“It took COVID” is a phrase that our friend and board member, Adam Hanft, coined. Adam had been meaning to reach out to a college friend, but life got in the way, but due to COVID, Adam and his college friend reconnected.

Let Halloween be your excuse to connect or reconnect. Adam is referring to it as “taking” COVID-19, and the resulting “new normal,” for people to do things they had been meaning to do such as reaching out to a friend who has been on their mind. If you can’t see a friend or family member in person this year, let them know you are still thinking of them by sending a fun and easy Halloween themed Ecard. They are sure to bring a smile.

There are still many ways to connect with our neighbors on October 31. Challenge your street to a decorations contest or organize a virtual costume contest where everyone gets a chance to show off their creativity. What’s truly most important is spending time (whether outside or online) with the people who matter most to you.

Create your own form of Halloween magic

Get in the Halloween spirit with creative activities. What will your children and grandchildren remember about Halloween this year?

We’ve already heard many creative alternatives that families have begun planning:

1. Draw a ghost or a witch in the bathroom mirror with liquid soap. When your child comes out of the shower, and the mirror gets steamed, your child will see the image.

2. Spend some extra time on Halloween decorations. If you can’t go out, bring Halloween to your home! Involve the kids and grandchildren by making crafty DIY projects.

3. Set up an outdoor Halloween movie marathon. Get comfy on a bed sheet, bring out a few chairs, and set up a projector.

4. Organize a community pumpkin carving contest. Carve your pumpkins on the same day and put them out on your stoop for everyone to admire.

5. Set up a mini neighborhood parade. Families can line up in front of their houses and take turns walking down the street.

6. Organize an at home trick-or-treating for your family. Hide candy around the house for you children, or station pick-ups spots around the house for them to fill their bags.

7. Set up a goodie bag table in your yard with individual bags or cups of candy for children to take.

8. Distribute candy from a further distance with the help or a basket or chute. People have been going viral for creating “candy chute” like the one in this article: This man has an idea to keep trick-or-treating safe this Halloween.

9. Create a Halloween snack board. Have a sweet tooth? Learn how to put together a Halloween snack board and share fresh, juicy treats including apples, pears, caramel, and chocolate.

As we can attest, grandparents also love to celebrate Halloween with their families. This article, Social Distancing Halloween Ideas for Grandparents has wonderful, creative ideas for how to make the day special. We suggest making use of digital tools like FaceTime or Zoom as well.

How are you making Halloween fun for the kids (and yourself) this year? We would love to hear how you are planning to celebrate and what creative alternatives you have in store. You can share with here.

Jim and Chris

Celebrations community trends

P.S. Join our Share your mask sweepstakes. Your protective mask can double as an excellent costume. From spooky to funny or somewhere in between, we want to see how you’ll be celebrating this year in your creative masks! We have some fun masks you might want to share that add a little Halloween flair.

Check out our article on 13 Home Decor Tips to Lift Spirits This Halloween. Here we share decorating tips, gifting advice, and festive ways you can make a lasting impression this Halloween!

After the Halloween buzz fades, continue making the most of autumn with these 10 Must-Do Fall Activities.

Celebrations community spotlight

We wanted to share a story from one of our wonderful customers, Gligor Tashkovich. Since the pandemic forced the cancellation of Minister Gligor Tashkovich's 55th “Double Nickel” birthday celebration, he sent truffle cake pops, petit fours, cake truffles, and Cheryl's Cookies to almost 60 relatives and friends around the country to help him celebrate remotely! We are so glad to see Gligor finding ways to express, connect, and celebrate, even during these unprecedented times.