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Celebrating Halloween Safely

By: Skylar Semon and Maya Hoffman

During unprecedented times, such as those we are currently living in, people will often look for new ways to celebrate tradition while staying safe and abiding by guidelines set forth by the CDC. Here are just a few ways to stay safe while maintaining beloved Halloween traditions. 

  1. Keep your trick or treating small and local. If you don’t feel comfortable traveling around the neighborhood and exposing yourself to many people, you can organize small group plans that abide by social distancing.
  2. Use your creativity to incorporate PPE into your Halloween costume. You could decorate your masks and gloves and make them a part of your costume. Unfortunately, masks typically worn on Halloween, like zombie masks, are not going to give you the proper protection from the coronavirus. If you wear a typical Halloween mask, remember to also wear a face mask underneath it. Many experts say that wearing two masks is desired, especially on Halloween. You should also keep hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes in your trick or treat baskets.
  3. Find new ways to give out candy. Instead of handing out candy at the door, leave it outside to prevent close contact. You could even set up a station with wipes, hand sanitizer, and disposable masks. Another great way to hand out candy is to make goodie bags filled with candy, so children won’t have to put their hand in the same bucket.
  4. Socially distant pumpkin carving. Carving pumpkins with friends and family have always been a fall tradition. Pumpkin carving sets are easy to find and are typically sold at grocery stores. If everyone has their own set, you can carve pumpkins while staying socially distant with tables spread out across your yard or down your block. If you don’t have enough tools, make sure to sanitize them in between uses.
  5. Scary movies! A fun activity to do with small groups of friends is to meet outside and have a Halloween movie night. You can put up a screen or projector to watch Halloween themed movies outdoors and socially distanced. Have everyone space out their chairs and serve individually wrapped treats.
  6. Send loved ones a BOO. A great way to stay safe and still celebrate Halloween this year is to “boo-bag” your friends. You can drop off a bag of individually wrapped candies at your friends’ doorstep. If you attach a fun note, you can even keep the joke going and involve more people. 
  7. Visit the pumpkin patch. Pumpkin picking is a great way to keep outdoor activities going during COVID-19. Staying outside can reduce your chances of spreading or contracting the coronavirus. You, along with your friends and family, can head out east to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard. Not only does this keep you outside, but it is a fun way to switch up your activities. Just be sure to wear a mask while pumpkin or apple picking.
  8.  Above all, stay healthy. An important part of staying safe is keeping track of your health. Although we first heard about COVID-19 in March, it is still a very scary topic. It is important to continue taking good care of yourself by drinking enough water and taking vitamins, such as Vitamin C and Zinc, to boost your immune system. As the weather gets colder, be sure to wear a jacket protecting yourself from the common cold. Getting sick with a cold or a cough can increase your chances of contracting the coronavirus.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images.

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