Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in America. Everyone loves dressing up, eating candy, and enjoying the fun of a good scary movie. Yet the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has made everything far too frightening this year, including Halloween celebrations.
At Golomb Legal, P.C., we want everyone in our communities to be safe and happy, which is why we would like to share some Halloween 2020 safety tips here. With some smart precautions, you and your children can still have a good time celebrating Halloween this year without putting yourself and others in danger of spreading the virus.
Trick-or-Treating at a Distance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that people take serious caution if they are planning on trick-or-treating this year. In some communities, trick-or-treating has been prohibited by local authorities. If you are permitted to trick-or-treat in your neighborhood or complex during the COVID-19 pandemic, then you should take as many steps to be as safe as possible.
When trick-or-treating, everyone in your family should wear:
- Medical-grade face masks, even under costume masks
- Protective gloves if gloves are not part of a costume
Parents should bring hand sanitizer to use after picking up candy. A six-foot distance should be maintained between your trick-or-treating group and others at all times.
For candy distribution safety, all candy should be left in a bowl outside of your door, and you should only trick-or-treat at houses using the same system. The bowl will allow people to take a piece of candy without needing to knock on your door and have a close interaction. If possible, you should sit inside or six feet away from the bowl outside to make certain no one tampers with the candy.
Delightfully Spooky Treats
In areas where trick-or-treating is prohibited, or if you think that heading out on Halloween night will be too risky, then you should consider making treats and candies at home. There are plenty of fun ways to integrate the spirit of the season into food. For dinner, you and your children can decorate pizzas using various ingredients to make them spooky, like forming mushrooms and olives into the shape of a scary skeleton.
Sweet treats are also sure to be a big hit with the kids. You can decorate and roast “ghost” marshmallows, make creepy spider-shaped cookies, bake “vampire” cherry pies, and much more. We encourage you to search for Halloween recipes online for more ideas.
Online Scary Movie Night
The pandemic has made more people than ever familiar with online communication tools and video conferencing apps. Use these many digital resources to host an online movie night with your friends or for your children. Some software lets you screenshare with the party host, making it really easy for everyone to watch a scary movie with 100% synchronization.
Before hosting your scary movie night, we suggest you survey other parents who will participate to find out what movie they think would be best. Some children might be overly frightened by certain scares and haunts, like clowns or zombies. Picking a movie that everyone can actually enjoy without nightmares will make this Halloween that much more special.
From everyone at Golomb Legalin Philadelphia, we wish the happiest Halloween for you and your family! Be safe and be mindful of coronavirus precautions, and we are sure you can make the most of the scary season.