Halloween is coming! With the month of October only a few weeks away everyone’s favorite spooky holiday is getting ready to make its way into town. However, with COVID-19 around there is a huge possibility that this year’s spooky season will be slightly different compared to normal. Although people are excited about Halloween there is question on whether it will even happen this year? Some people say no. “It’s too risky.” Others will say that they don’t want to expose their kids or family to the possibility that is COVID. “We can find something else to do? Maybe in the comfort of our house?” Other people will say. That defeats the whole purpose though. It’s a spooky season, Halloween season, it’s the season where everyone gets excited to go into haunted corn mazes and haunted houses just for the thrill of the scare. Without Halloween, spooky season is just another uneventful season. People’s fears are understandable. Nobody wants their kid or family member to come down with anything related to COVID but as a society, we need to have some sort of normalcy in our lives and we can start that by coming together as a community to come up with safe and fun activities to make Halloween just as fun as any other year. Don’t have any ideas here are a few that my family has thought of. 

One person can not go and tell a whole town that we need to go wear a mask and gloves in order to celebrate Halloween. If the town were to tell the residents of Frederick that that needs to happen then it’s still not necessarily right. If we as a community come together and agree as a whole that we think that that is the best option then that’s better. We’re stronger as a community and can work together to come up with safe and fun activities to do or ways for people to go trick or treating. One idea as a start is to talk to your friends and host a small party at your house, a friends house, or outdoors. You can hide candy throughout the house and backyard while having people hiding and jumping out for a fun startle. Another option is for those who live in a neighborhood where you know and trust your neighbors enough to know your kids will be safe. You can set up certain people’s houses as safe places for your kids and yourself to walk to as a way of getting out of the house and having that fun experience that everyone loves. It is not as grand of an experience but at least it is something. It’s one of the many options and ideas available to families. Plus it still gives kids an excuse to go and get a costume along with mom and dad. 

Another option is to host a socially distanced block party. Hosting a block party will keep everyone safe while socially distanced and will once again help with that fun aspect of getting people together to celebrate. If the party is organized well enough you can still make it so that the people who are participating will be required to wear masks and gloves in order to protect each other and themselves. If you’re having a block party but still going house to house you can also make it so that those who are participating have a blue light or sign symbolizing the fact that their participating and those who aren’t participating will have normal lights. Having a block party can also add another fun feature to Halloween. For example, if you have a block party you can do little movie showings outside where everyone is socially distanced and watching a scary thrill. You can have a kids scary movie on for the little ones and then another scary movie for the older kids at a later time. It keeps things simple but it also makes things more fun for people as well. 

Lastly, Schools or even the community can do a trunk or treat. Trunk or Treats are a fun and super-easy way to keep everyone contained while having fun. You can start off by having a parade and walking the streets of Frederick having candy thrown for the trick or treaters as they walk while social distancing. You can even take the homecoming parade route or a shorter route and end at the high school. The high school can have the actual trunk or treat with cars lined up everywhere handing out candy and goodies to the paraders as they pass through and walk around. Once again everyone that participates will have to wear a mask and those giving out candy should be asked to wear gloves as well to keep everyone safe. Nonetheless, though it is still fun, beyond fun and it still gives kids that excuse to dress up.

Right now kids aren’t in school. Half of us, especially the younger kids aren’t even able to see their friends because parents don’t like the risk. It’s the constant question of who’s been exposed and who hasn’t. If we’re talking truth then it’s simple. We need some normalcy in our life and Halloween can be one of those things that help to bring it back. Even if it’s not the same exact thing that we’re used to. It still gives us an excuse to throw on a costume and to go and just have fun while interacting with people and staying safe. For little kids, it just gives them a reason to get out of the house and to see friends. They don’t necessarily know what’s going on but they know and love Halloween and the idea of dressing up. Halloween should be the one holiday during spooky season that we can still have fun. You were given the ideas now you just need to find a way to make some of them happen. Whether it’s as a community or just a group of people let’s make spooky season spooky.