How to collect more candy than germs this Halloween

With Halloween approaching, opportunities for social gatherings and carrying out traditional festivities are increasing. While we know how important the upcoming holidays are for many of you, unfortunately, COVID-19 and flu aren’t going to be taking a break anytime soon.

In order to keep you and your loved ones safe this fall, it’s crucial to stay on your guard and remember your Pledge to Protect by continuing to practice diligent mask wearing, physical distancing and hand washing to keep germs at bay.

Celebrate safely

Thanks to the wide availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, Halloween can look a little more normal this year, but it’s still important to take precautions while trick-or-treating or visiting with friends and family. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends celebrating in small groups and outdoors when possible.

Here are 6 fun ways to enjoy the holiday more safely.

Get creative with candy distribution

To minimize contact with surfaces like doors, doorbells and candy bowls, you can try a physically distanced candy distribution method.

Decorate a table and place individual bags of candy on it. Or make a candy “hedge” by stretching a large sheet between two posts, adding artificial garland and using clothes pins or clips to attach candy packages so trick-or-treaters can grab their own bag.

Want to get even more creative? Make a candy chute that’s sure to be popular with the ghosts and ghouls in your neighborhood. Decorate a long cardboard shipping tube or PVC pipe, attach it to a handrail and send candy flying into the bags of wide-eyed trick-or-treaters from a distance. Speaking of flying, you can also create a ghostly zipline to deliver treats from your front door to the sidewalk.

If your children will be going trick-or-treating, have them use Halloween-themed grabbers. The plastic tong-like tools offer a low-contact way for kids to pick up treats and can add an element of fun.

Decorate, decorate, decorate

Instead of attending large gatherings, go all out on Halloween decorations this year or organize a neighborhood contest with prizes for the most creative, spooky and creepy decorations.

Find outdoor or drive-through experiences

Many areas have fun outdoor events planned, like pumpkin patches, corn mazes, drive-through haunted trails and socially distanced trunk-or-treating. Check local websites for safe Halloween activities in your town.

Create a scavenger hunt

One fun way for little ones to enjoy Halloween festivities without going door to door is to plan your own Halloween-themed scavenger hunt. Just hide candy around your yard or provide clues that send kids looking for treats in the most unexpected places.

Host a small gathering for your pod

If you’re feeling the party spirit, opt for a smaller, outdoor Halloween party. Limit the guest list to family members or people you see regularly, such as those in your social pod. Try to remain six feet apart during the gathering and wear masks when you can’t physically distance.

Costume masks DO NOT provide protection from respiratory droplets, so consider giving out Halloween-themed cloth masks for all attendees – they’ll keep everyone safer and make for great party favors, too.

Plan an online party

If you don’t want to get together in person, do it online. Halloween fun is meant to be shared with friends, and thanks to Zoom and other video-conferencing software, you can still have a Halloween costume contest or dance party with as many friends as you would like.

This Halloween may be a little different, but it’s bound to be just as enjoyable as ever. In fact, some of the activities you try this year may become cherished new holiday traditions.