Trick-or-treating will be a bit trickier this year
THIS YEAR’S MASK Even with social distancing and mask requirements, Halloween can still be fun for kids of all ages. Shutterstock photo
By Winter Sager | Manor Ink
Livingston Manor, NY – Halloween this year is set to be very different. Not just for adults and teens, but for children as well.
The CDC has released an article about how to follow their guidelines on how to stay safe while trick-or-treating during the pandemic. The CDC offers suggestions of alternative ways to celebrate Halloween while following health guidelines.
One of the suggestions of the CDC is the option of a backyard scavenger hunt, which a few parents are planning on setting up. Manor Ink spoke to a parent in the Manor area, Jill Smith, who is planning on setting up a hunt for her children.
“This year we're going to skip trick-or-treating, or trunk-or-treating, or any sort of public event like that, and maybe do something here in our yard on our property – hide candy like an Easter egg hunt type of thing,” Jill said. Her children are 6 and 4-and-a-half, and they would not know how to avoid grabbing a stranger's hand for candy if they were to go out trick-or-treating.
A suggestion of the CDC on how to be safe when handing out candy is to put out a bowl for kids to take candy from. “We’re going to put candy out in a bowl on the porch – just a take one sign on it and never look at it again,” said Demi Budd, a local teen. “We live on a mountain in the middle of nowhere, so no one ever takes candy.” For her, passing out candy won’t be changing this year.
The CDC has also released guidelines for those willing to go out and trick-or-treat. The Center suggests that if you do go trick-or-treating, you should wash your hands before grabbing your treats. You should also stay outdoors, stay six feet apart from everyone except those who you live with, and bring hand sanitizer with you. The CDC suggests washing hands as soon as you return home as well.
For some, this Halloween will be extremely difficult as they adapt to the drastic changes. Others will find it easy. Regardless, there are still ways to enjoy this spooky holiday.