As the year 2020 goes on, many things continue to change. This includes the way we celebrate holidays. Halloween is no exception. The ways that people have celebrated Halloween for the last 180 years may not be safe considering the current state of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Usually, as the end of October starts to roll around families and friends begin to plan their festivities for the spooky holiday.

So how do we celebrate this year? According to NRP, trick or treating with masks and social distancing is considered a moderate risk. When trick or treating around the neighborhood this year, it’s important for kids to be wearing a mask at all times. Find some way to relate a mask to you or your child’s Halloween costumes.

For those who plan to give out candy, all candy must be pre-wrapped in individual packages to ensure that the food inside is not contaminated. Try to place a bowl of candy further away from the house in a large area to prevent crowding at your front door. You can also give out individually wrapped goodie bags filled with candy for children to grab as they trick or treat.

Parents should make sure that children wash their hands and sanitize the candy before letting the kids dig into them. Do not eat any candy that is not individually wrapped.

Another way that people can celebrate Halloween this year is by hosting a Trick or Treating parade through your neighborhood. Decorate a couple of rows of houses and have hosts hand out candy to the kids as parents drive through the parade. This way you can avoid crowding of kids around on the streets.

For older kids, trick or treating may not be their way of celebrating the holiday. Since Halloween parties will most likely not be safe this year, teens can try hosting movie nights. Grab a bowl of popcorn and a small group of friends for a scary horror film. Make sure to keep a mask on and avoid sharing food and crowding together.

Some things that will not be safe this Halloween include indoor haunted houses, crowded parties, and Hayrides. Don’t go to any event where people are not wearing masks or following social distancing rules.

Although this time is still scary, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Halloween with friends and family. Staying safe is important and many new Halloween ideas make it possible to stay safe and still have fun.

For more information check out these related articles on Komonews and intermountain healthcare.