Halloween is the one night a year where children are able to dress up as whatever they please and eat an unlimited amount of candy. Kids spend months planning the perfect costume, along with designing just the right Trick or Treat route to get the biggest abundance of candy bars. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Halloween will look a little different this year. In New Jersey, specifically, Gov. Phil Murphy came out with a statement Oct. 5 saying that Trick or Treating may occur, as long as children are doing it safely. This includes wearing masks, maintaining social distance and hosting parties either outside or virtually. 

Even though Halloween this year will be far from typical, there are still a variety of ways to make the spooky holiday as special as possible. Trick or Treating is allowed to occur with limited contact, which is still manageable. Houses may opt to create individual goody bags for Trick or Treaters filled with candy to avoid children reaching into a bucket of candy. Individually packaged bags will limit the amount of people touching the candy, making it safer for children to take. Houses expecting Trick or Treaters should also keep hand sanitizer outside so families can clean their hands as they walk around. 

Families  should also coordinate with their neighbors  regarding how to tell Trick or Treaters if  they are welcome or  not. This could include having a sign on the door, leaving candy out or turning on their porch light. This ensures that only people who are comfortable will receive Trick or Treaters. In addition, families can host socially distant Halloween parties outside. By individually packaging food and drinks along with wearing masks, they can avoid too much contact but still socialize in a COVID friendly way. Also, people may take advantage of online resources, such as Zoom, to spend time with their family and friends on Halloween. They can dress up and eat candy while talking over the computer to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy. 

It is obvious that many families and children are desperate for a normal Halloween. But unfortunately, staying 6 feet apart is the new normal. Therefore, families can still make the best out of this holiday by maintaining distance and avoiding contact, while still satisfying their sweet tooths.