Families around the U.S. are still planning to celebrate this haunted holiday, despite the unusual circumstances. According to a recent consumer survey by the National Confectioners Association (NCA):
By the time All Hallows’ Eve arrives, many of us will have spent a total of six months adapting to the new normal. This year has certainly called for resilience and an outside-the-box approach to nearly all aspects of life.
You’ve already gotten good at curbside pickup from your favorite restaurants. And, depending on your school district, your family might even be easing into micro-schools and pandemic pods. There’s no reason why you can’t find a safe and enjoyable way to celebrate Halloween during COVID-19, too!
The great thing about Halloween 2020 is that it falls on a Saturday — finally! But your usual night of trick-or-treating might look a little different this time around. Here are some spooktacular suggestions to keep your family and neighbors safe while having a ghoulishly good time.
How will coronavirus impact Halloween this year? Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer to that question. It really depends on where you live and how your state government and community leaders are responding to the pandemic.
Before setting your plans in motion on Oct. 31, be sure to adhere to all safety rules and social distancing guidelines that pertain to your area.
Halloween certainly wouldn’t be the same without costumes. This year you can have a lot of fun finding clever ways to include face coverings and gloves into your outfit. Try skeleton gloves for an eerie ensemble and choose a cloth face mask in colors that match your costume. Or, take it to the next level and add embellishments!
Families might not feel so great about sending their children up to strangers’ doors — or welcoming neighborhood kids at their front stoops. Set up a treat station at the end of your driveway or create a candy graveyard near the sidewalk. This way, trick-or-treaters can stay at a more comfortable distance from high-touch surfaces.
Instead of limiting your spirited decorations to the front door, go all-out and decorate the whole yard. For instance, you can turn your front lawn into a ghost-filled graveyard or cover your driveway with a massive spiderweb. This way, visitors can enjoy your spooky scenes from a distance.
Does the thought of your child reaching into a bucket of treats that have been touched by countless other kids send chills up your spine? There’s an alternative. Send your little trick-or-treaters out with hinged grabbers so they can scoop up sweet surprises more safely.
Rather than waiting for the kids around the corner to come to your door, why not surprise them with a boo bucket filled with tasty treats? Prep them at home, drop one off at a friend’s door, then ding-dong-ditch your unsuspecting recipient. Don’t forget to leave a “You’ve been BOO’d!” note reminding them to pass on the fun.
If your neighbors love Halloween as much as you do, see if you can collaborate on turning your entire block into a witchy wonderland of haunted houses. Add eerie lighting and sound effects for impact. You can even dress up and act out the zombie parts! When it’s ready, invite the rest of the community to drive through and enjoy your handiwork.
According to an NCA poll, 80% of people can’t imagine celebrating the holiday without chocolate and Halloween candy. Moreover, 9 in 10 young parents agree that chocolate is essential to not only the holiday but to overall emotional wellbeing, too.
However, given the renewed focus on health and wellbeing, you might rethink your approach to sweet treats this Halloween.
Depending on what your community has planned, you might not spend the night cheering on your little superhero or witch while they fill up buckets with artificial sweeteners and empty calories. But your family doesn’t need to see this as a disappointment. The trick is to provide more wholesome treats while focusing on quality over quantity.
You can start by bringing out our wickedly good Refrigerated Peanut Butter Cups. Each cup of chocolatey, peanut-buttery goodness offers 7 grams of protein from organic, whole-food ingredients. They’re ready to enjoy at room temperature for up to two days straight, which makes them perfect for boo buckets.
Our happy customers tell us, our Peanut Butter Cups really are a chocolate lover’s dream. Plus, it isn’t Halloween without Peanut Butter Cups, right? Treat yourself and your friends to all four flavors:
Here are some other better-for-you brands and treats to try:
The festivities don’t end with contactless trick-or-treating. Here are a few more ideas to consider when planning how to spend Halloween during COVID-19.
If it turns out that contactless trick-or-treating isn’t right for your family, that’s okay. There are still plenty of fun ways to celebrate Halloween 2020 at home:
Before winter sets in, enjoy these autumnal traditions outdoors while following social distancing guidelines:
For a lot of locally-owned companies across the country, Halloween is usually big business. This year, small-time haunted houses, mom-and-pop costume shops, and countless other companies will be closed down or struggling to stay afloat.
When making Halloween-themed purchases, do what you can to support small businesses throughout the season.
No matter how you spend the holiday this year, you can still have a healthy dose of fun (and chocolate!) while staying safe with your loved ones. Sounds pretty perfect, don’t you think?
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