The weather has turned nice and cool in the evenings and the leaves are starting to fall. This lets me know that the season has changed and that Halloween is right around the corner. The thing this year is that many things have changed across the nation and how we interact has changed. The COVID-19 Pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we live and interact with each other all across the nation. It is an important thing to know and think about especially during this season. The trick or treating season is here and this is the one night where we actually get to go and see all of our neighbors and to us that is an important time of the year. It is normally a time of joy and fun and relationships. But this year will be a little different and I think we should all think hard about how we are going to deal with trick or treating this year.
The first thing to know is that it is OK to not participate. We have always understood that some people do not like the Holiday. It can be a bit scary and has roots that are not really that nice considering the history of Halloween. But this year it goes much further than not participating due to not liking the history or holiday. This year it is about safety and if you see a sign or hear a warning about not coming to the door or driveway you should listen and heed its warning. That is because many people have compromised immune systems and this is a very dangerous virus when it comes to their health. The elderly are also more susceptible to the virus if they end up getting it and having hundreds of people visiting their home may actually be a death sentence in some cases. That is why you need to let your kids know the seriousness of the situation but still be kind and gentle. It is more a courtesy thing and that has to be more important than candy boxes.
The next thing to think about is simply keeping all the treats clean when picking them up and handing them out. Social distancing is going to the rule of thumb this year rather you think it matters or not. The 6-foot rule is going to be a good way to keep everyone happy and safe. Face masks will also be a requirement for most locations and a good idea to add on to your costume this year. Have fun with it and find a fun way to hand out your candy in a socially distant way. We are going to be creating single-serve ways to hand candy out without touching it and allowing people to pick it up without being near us. Having kids dig through a basket for their favorite candy boxes is going to probably be frowned upon so keep it separate.
It is also going to be important to get treats that can be cleaned. Most parents are going to sanitize their kid's treats before they let them eat them. So get treats that are plastic wrapped and can be cleaned. No one wants to waste a treat or have it not be safe. So just think ahead and try to be open-minded about enjoying this fun holiday together.
