Halloween Safety in 2020... It's All About Creativity!!
Just because we're in the midst of a tough year, doesn't mean Halloween is cancelled!
Let’s be real - no one wants to disappoint their kids! But we are the adults and the reality is, it’s SIMPLY NOT SAFE to do traditional trick-or-treating this year. Bummer, but real life, so let’s put on our big girl (& boy!) panties and make some smart decisions… down the road, your kids will thank you for being creative, proactive, & finding a fun work-around!
First up, let’s talk Candy Handouts…
Giving out candy? Two options for safety:
First to be clear: this option is NOT optimal if you ask me, but if you MUST answer the door to trick-or-treaters, some important safety tips: Wear your mask PLUS gloves, and toss the candy to maintain a safe social distance. Discourage crowds of children congregating… if you have a high foot traffic neighborhood, try marking a “one way” route to your door so children enter on one path and leave on another. I’ve even heard of some folks concocting clever methods of getting candy to trick-or-treaters without breaking social distance, like candy chutes or zip-lines…. hey whatever floats your boat, but PLEASE consider safety above all else and remind kids to WASH THEIR HANDS before consuming anything they’ve touched (you too, mom & dad!)
This is the better option, IMHO (it’s what we’re doing!) - Pre-fill goodie bags for physically distanced pickup on a sanitized table. We made adorable little bags that kids will be delighted to receive - they have some small pieces of nut-free candy and some Halloween novelty items (spooky art stamps, slap bracelets, and more!).
Ok, so assuming you’ve opted for safety and have bagged the idea of Trick-or-Treating, but you still wanna have fun… here’s a few ideas!
1. Virtual Costume Party
This one is easy - but don’t wait for your friends to arrange it, TAKE THE REINS and take charge, mama! Email a few besties or family members (grandparents, cousins, etc) to get a fun group confirmed, agree on a time, set up a Zoom link (takes two secs), and send it out. Pick a spooky playlist (may I suggest “Halloween Music for Kids” on Spotify!) and give every kiddo a turn to show off their Halloween Costume (Pro Tip: email an “order of go” in advance to maintain some semblance of control!). Once everyone’s had a chance to parade their lewk, let the event dissolve into a fun dance party and be sure to have spooky refreshments (we used our pumpkin guts to make healthy, vegan pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie this week… DELISH!!).
2. Candy Hide-and-Seek
Hide individually wrapped candy throughout the house or yard, and let the kids go find it. Or, map out a scavenger hunt with clues to where you hid the candy! Don’t forget flashlights to make it extra spoooooky!!
3. Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Buy a few extra pumpkins or use pumpkin cut-outs and set out school glue with a few small bowls of googly eyes, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, small feathers, and glitter (if you dare!). Make sure to cover the table then let the kiddos GO TO TOWN decorating! Once again… don’t forget the spooky playlist to add a sense of fun to the party.
4. Healthy Halloween Festivity Feast!!
Here’s a few super fun ideas for a fun Halloween cooking sesh that parents & kiddos can do together...
Vegan Halloween Mini Mummy Pizzas
We are HUGE pizza lovers in our house, and just because we’re vegan doesn’t mean we have to give up our favorite cheesy treat! Check out this adorable recipe for Mini-Mummy Pizzas on Simple Vegan Blog.
Halloween Banana Popsicles
For a Halloween dessert without scary-high sugar content, go for these simple banana ghost pops with Greek yogurt (or vegan alternative) and nut butter. We used vegan dark chocolate morsels for the eyes! Check out this recipe from Well Plated.
Blender Pumpkin Spice Muffins
That's right: You can make tasty muffins with your blender. Dates provide the sweetness here so there is no sugar involved, and the oats add the fiber. These muffins are gluten free and can be made vegan if you use flax eggs! Check out this recipe from Frugal Nutrition.
The bottom line is this - we all want Halloween to be fun & “normal” … but it’s not normal this year, and we all have to deal with it. The silver lining?? By getting creative, you may make a new lasting family memory and create new traditions that you never even considered before… like so many things in the chaos of 2020, we will all figure out how to make the best of it, and our kids will thank us later on for keeping them safe amidst the madness.
Happy Haunting, my friends… stay safe and spooktacular!!
