Happy Halloween, everybody. Before we even hop in, we have to mention that the deadline for our Halloween virtual costume contest has been extended to Sunday, November 1st. Do you want to win a Haunted OC prize or a Tiddlywinks prize? To submit, visit the blog here with all of the rules of entry!
This week, we want to share some tips with our OTO families about trick-or-treating this year. Of course, we want Halloween 2020 to be a memorable occasion for all of our families during these unprecedented times. And with a few modifications, it will be! Let’s hop in.
Mask Your Costume and Yourself
Parents, as the candy-givers, it is our responsibility to make sure that we are gloved up, masked up, and being extra cautious if handing out candy this Halloween. Station yourself outside in open air or leave candy equally spaced out on a card table in the front yard. For the kiddos, incorporate a mask into their costume! Have them dress like a doctor, a nurse, or a superhero, and the mask will already work perfectly. Side note: A mask is not COVID-compliant unless it has three layers of padding for filtration.
Candy Chute to Maintain Social Distance
Touted as the most popular Halloween decoration in 2020, make a candy chute or slide for candy delivery. It’s fun for the kids to line up for their candy delivery, and keeps you at a safe distance from the trick-or-treaters. Check out the full article here to see how this Cincinnati dad made the chute in just 20 minutes.
Self-Grabbing
We want to share first that the CDC said ‘candy should not be given out to Trick or Treaters’ this year. As a parent myself, I’m still unsure of what’s actually going to be happening this Saturday night. It’s possible that we’ll all just hang out at home and have our own candy affair, but there is that chance that there will be trick or treaters and I want to be prepared. Some ways that you can semi-safely hand out candy are by pre-filling Dixie cups or plastic bags with a few pieces of candy and lining them up on a table for a simple grab-n-go. You can also use a witch’s ladle or extra-long BBQ tongs when handing out candy. For myself, I’ll be pouring a bag of candy into a clean bowl and using long tongs to drop candy into bags. This way I’ve never touched it and no kids will be putting their hands into the bowl. Other than turning off your lights this year (which is perfectly understandable), there really isn’t a 100% safe solution when it comes to trick-or-treating. Make the choice that’s right for you and employ as many safety measures as possible to keep everything sanitary.
At-Home Halloween Party
Of course, celebrate Halloween at the comfort level of your family. If it feels right for you, throw a Halloween bash with spooky movies, pumpkin decorating, pumpkin treats, cookie decorating, and a costume showcase. All of these activities can be done from the comfort of your house and will be just as fun, maybe even more fun! For inspiration for delicious and haunting Halloween snacks, check out this Pinterest board.
No matter how your Halloween is celebrated this year, stay safe and of course, take lots of pictures for our costume contest. Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter here so you can be the first to get the local scoop. Happy Halloween folks and we will see you in November!
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Last Updated on May 24, 2023 by Pattie Cordova
