What is scarier, Ghouls and Goblins walking the streets or the fear of COVID-19? With COVID-19 being a serious issue, this is a question that many parents and local governments have to consider this year. Is Halloween in jeopardy of becoming a victim of cancel culture, the way of calling something out (person, thing) as wrong or wrong doing.

    There are many ways that Halloween can be done safely to still have the holiday. Trick or treating has always been an outdoor activity that can maximize social distancing. For safe trick or treating, participants can easily adjust by following CDC(Center for Disease Control) guidelines, specifically wearing a mask, social distancing, and using hand sanitizer. The CDC also stated that preparing individual goodie bags and lining them up for a quick grab on the way by is a great way for trick or treating to take place. Another idea for handing out candy is through using a cardboard or PVC pipe. According to KRON 4 News, a man in Ohio took a 6 foot long cardboard tube and decorated it with orange and black tape to be able to still pass out candy to trick or treaters safely. Stated in an article by Chip & Co, LegoLand also implemented this idea for their “Brick or Treat” event. These are just some of the innovative ways to still have a safe Halloween. If we can adjust and make Halloween safe to children with food allergies (by giving out allergy free candy), it can be adjusted for the pandemic (by using COVID-19 restrictions). 

    Spending time with friends and family participating in activities like trick or treating is beneficial for one’s mental health. Studies have shown with the forced isolation of COVID-19 anxiety, depression, and suicide have sky rocketed as stated by Massachusetts General Hospital. Seeing friends and meeting members of the community might just be the one little thing people need to give themselves a new hope. Trick or Treating is beneficial to your health by walking around with friends, happiness, outdoor activities, manners, and fresh air. Halloween might be just what is needed to offer a sense of normalcy in 2020.

    2020 is anything, but normal. We have had isolation, cancellation, medication, changes in education, demonization, and deprivation. Certain media outlets have done nothing, but spread fear throughout this pandemic. It is time to stop letting fear control what we can and can not do. Halloween is the time of year that scary things are quite fun, but who would want to tell their kids that Halloween is cancelled this year? Halloween can be conducted in a safe manner if guidelines are followed. Throughout 2020, people have stopped living their lives because of the fear of getting sick or getting a loved one sick that could lead to death in older and immunocompromised individuals. Life is full of risks. So, if Halloween can be done safely, then the benefits outweigh the risks.

    Halloween is one of the last remaining holidays of the year. Cancelling it would mean more devastation to children with lasting implications. So much of life has already been cancelled in 2020. What are governments going to do? Have the police ticket little kids for trying to have fun and some normalcy? If people wait till everything is safe, they will never live their life. If everyone follows the guidelines, makes handing out candy safe, and limits big groups, then there is no reason to cancel trick or treating. Be safe and have a happy Halloween!