50 OCTOBER 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
How to safely celebrate
Halloween in 2020
BY JOYCE VENEZIA SUSS
Do it
Better :
Halloween in 2020 is likely to be more of a trick than a treat because
of the pandemic, and the scariest part will be the fear of catching
COVID-19. But no one wants to deprive children (and adults!) of the
fun, especially in a year where fun socializing has been limited.
Every community may have different rules about going house to
house for treats, and many neighbors (especially the elderly) may turn
off their porch and house lights this year. Large parties are banned in New
Jersey, but families can plan alternate holiday activities.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so kids of all ages can wear
costumes all day from breakfast until bed! Decorate the house, and keep
the memories by sharing photos with friends and family via email, social
media and/or postal mail.
It’s also the perfect year to wear a themed costume that includes a
the ultimate protection. Alternately, search online for “Halloween medical
mask” to see an array of clever spooky themes.
Here are a variety of ways to celebrate a safe and fun Halloween with
social distancing:
At Home
Plan a themed Halloween Day at home for your family. This also
works well if you have a home-schooling “pandemic pod” of local children,
especially if each family hosts a portion of the fun.
•
props like skeletons, zombies and more.
• Hang a Halloween piñata in your backyard – crammed with lots of candy!
• Hide a bunch of mini pumpkins in and around the house, have kids
gather them up, and then decorate them with washable paint and
fun craft supplies like googly eyes, feathers, etc.
•
attached to twine or yarn, spaced apart on a clothesline or a tree
with low branches.
• Set up other Halloween crafts – check Pinterest for lots of ideas.
• Hide candy around your house (in or out, or both) for a sweet scavenger
hunt. If older children end up with most of the loot, have
them divide it equally with younger siblings.
• End the holiday with a movie night featuring scary classics or fun
-
loween candy!
Outside the Home
If your community will allow door-to-door trick or treating and you
want to participate, here are some safe options.
• Leave individually wrapped treat bags on a table on your porch or
driveway, not a bowl full of candy that many hands would touch.
Add tape lines to socially distance trick or treaters.
• Purchase a long-handled “grabber” to take or give candy from a safe
distance, or a long tube to slide candy down into children’s bags.
• Chaperoning adults should carry hand sanitizer, wipes and extra
masks, and guide children away from other groups.
• Consider costumes with built-in social distancing. Some trending
treat bags attached to a plastic hand at the end of a stick, so candy can
be dropped into the bag from a safe distance.
• Pumpkin picking and fall festivals are largely
outdoor events, and they may be safe if you follow
social distancing. Before you venture out,
contact the farm or event venue to learn their
safety rules. Some might be canceling their
events this year, and others may require reservations
to control the number of visitors. Be
prepared for temperature checks upon arrival.
Be careful about anything touched by multiple
hands – including pumpkins.
Online Halloween
This year, a major candy company is offering
virtual treat or treating. Mars Wrigley has created an
online app called Treat Town. People create a virtual
avatar, decorate a virtual door, and knock on friends
and family members' virtual decorated doors, even
if they live far away. People can purchase credits to
give their trick or treaters, redeemable for real candy
like Snickers and M&Ms.
/TheJournalNJ.com