Halloween is a holiday that people of all ages look forward to every year. Whether you are dressing up, eating candy, or going to haunted houses, Halloween is for sure a joyful and festive day. Therefore, even though our nation has been struggling with Covid-19, Halloween should still go on as planned. However, specific guidelines and new, creative activities should be constructed in order to keep American citizens safe while also preserving the Halloween spirit.

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One easy way to keep the Halloween spirit alive is to decorate homes. Melissa Brodsky, a sophomore at Pascack Hills, said, “I look forward to seeing Halloween decorations every year. Covid should not take away from the energy and excitement that comes with the holiday season.”

By putting out scarecrows, pumpkins, or even skeletons, people will be able to experience the spooky and festive aspects of Halloween as they make their way around the community. Decorations are a way for everyone to be involved in Halloween festivities, even those who do not feel comfortable trick-or-treating this year.

Nothing screams Halloween more than pumpkin carving. This tradition can still be done safely if people host pumpkin carving “parties” over zoom, or simply sit six feet apart with a mask while participating in the activity. Additionally, to get pumpkins for carving, families, and groups of friends can still go pumpkin picking! Although there are more precautions this year at the pumpkin patches, people can still spend time engaging in a “normal” Halloween activity.

One of the most beloved Halloween activities is wearing costumes! Fortunately, there are still ways for children, teenagers, and adults to express their creativity despite Covid-19. In order to remain safe, costumes should be displayed over zooms, facetime, or any other virtual platform. Also, people can become even more creative with their costumes! Specifically, incorporating a mask into any costume can allow people to see each other’s creations face to face.

Additionally, for many, the best part of Halloween is eating tons of candy. Therefore, trick-or-treating should still remain, just with social distancing guidelines. One way to remain safe while also enjoying Halloween is to participate in a drive-by Halloween extravaganza. Children and parents alike will still be able to grab all their sweets while also refraining from close contact with others. However, understandably, people still love the trick-or-treating “experience.” In order for children to still meet new people and spend time enjoying the holiday with friends and family, parents can leave candy out in brown bags six feet apart. This allows children to participate in the traditional walk around the neighborhood while also keeping their distance from other people.

Lastly, new Halloween traditions can be made based on the current circumstances. First, by mixing Easter and Halloween traditions, parents can construct a candy egg hunt. Of course, this activity will be required to adhere to CDC guidelines, but will still allow children to participate in a lively, enjoyable competition. Second, all adolescents and adults can go to drive-in theaters in order to see spooky and entertaining Halloween movies. 

Hills student Elizabeth Epstein explained, “Watching Halloween movies with friends and family at local drive-in movie theaters was a great experience. Not only was the time I spent there enjoyable, but it also followed the CDC’s social distancing guidelines.” Lastly, because many people look forward to the creepy aspect of Halloween, they can attend drive-through haunted houses. 

Halloween is clearly going to be different in order to adhere to the new guidelines and safety precautions of the world. However, by coming up with new, creative ideas, while also tweaking traditional activities, the spirit and enthusiasm of Halloween will stay alive. Although it’s hard for many to comprehend, Covid-19 may even change Halloween for the better.