By Katelyn Lam, Staff Writer
With COVID-19 rates rising in California, many people are starting to doubt the safety of their Halloween traditions. Costume parties, get-togethers, even trick or treating are among the activities that will have to be executed differently this year. Although trick or treating may be different, there’s no reason to stop having fun. There are some risks of trick or treating this year as well as safer alternatives, but if you do decide to go out, here are some ways to stay safe!
Many people are concerned about the risks of going outside their house, especially with other children out on the street, but there should be no real cause for concern. As long as you follow the standard precautions like staying six feet apart, wearing masks, and properly sanitizing, you should be fine! Some things to be wary of are trick or treating with people outside of your household and traveling in groups of more than 2-3 children that don’t live with you. If you do choose to travel in big groups, be sure that everyone is wearing a mask. Masks are essential to any outing and trick or treating is no exception.
It’s important to remember that not every house is ok with people knocking on their door so if their lights are out, you shouldn’t double check they’re really not home this year. Many houses will most likely leave a candy bowl out instead of letting kids come up to their door so be on the lookout for that. For those on the other side of the spectrum who choose to pass out candy at home, you may not want to be so close to so many people especially right outside your house. If you do plan on passing out candy, make sure to wear a mask when opening the door and try to pass out the candy yourself instead of letting the kids pick. If you have a doorbell, you should probably wipe it down every hour or so to be safe. To those who would rather not take the risk, a candy bowl is always a safe option. Leave one out on your front porch and then you won’t have to worry about coming into close contact with anyone. Halloween will be different this year, but as long as you follow the safety rules and stay cautious, trick or treating should be as fun as always!
Although this year may be unconventional, there are still an abundance of ways to celebrate the spooky season. If you’re worried about your child collecting candy or knocking door to door this year, try a halloween scavenger hunt! This is an activity that the whole family can do, and the only materials you need are a list of halloween decorations. You can even adjust the difficulty by changing how common each item on the list is. For example, jack-o-lanterns may be something almost every block has, but how about a disco light? That’s not something you see at every house!
Halloween may be different from past years, but that doesn’t mean you should stop celebrating or having fun. As long as everyone stays safe and respectful of other people’s boundaries, the holiday should be just as fun as any other year. Make sure to stay safe, help others stay safe, and try to make the most of the spookiest night of the year.
