Halloween 2020: 7 Celebration Ideas to Keep Covid-19 From Spoiling Your Fun
A Halloween Like No Other Is Still Halloween
Ah, Halloween. The most spirited holiday of the year. Imaginative, spine-tingling, sugar-rush-inducing. Usually full of joy, laughter… and screams.
But this year, Covid-19 hangs heavy in the air like a black cloud.
Anxiety, concern, and frustration displace the usual excitement of the season. And all the normal activities that could have provided much-needed reprieves, instead all pose a high risk for spreading the virus.
Understandably, you’re tempted to give up, wishing we could fast-forward to the end of this awful year to a hopefully normal 2021.
But that would be a huge mistake.
Halloween 2020 is still alive and strong.
Covid-19 can’t stop October 31st from coming; it can only change how we celebrate.
We need something to celebrate right now.
So before calling it quits, check out these 7 ideas to lift your spirits and keep the party going while keeping Covid-19 in check.
Unlock the Theater of Horrors in Your Living Room
Step away from the news and your Netflix Original series-binge for a moment. Think horror movies, slasher films, psychological thrillers, cult classics, Tim Burton. It’s Halloween!
TV, DVD, Blu-ray, and various streaming services all place holiday-appropriate programming at your fingertips. Some Halloween watchlists online even tell you where you can find each program.
Set the tone by flavoring the season with family-friendly viewing, nightmare-inducing programming, or a healthy mixture of both.
Transform Your Home Into a Haunted House
Continue setting the mood by spooking up your home. Give your neighbors something to marvel at with your outdoor decor, then turn your attention indoors.
Do you favor more traditional decor? How about themes based on your favorite movie or horror story? Considering creating a different theme for each room?
Let your imagination run wild, and soon you’ll be waking up in Wonderland, eating breakfast in Oz, and conducting a virtual work meeting live from Halloweentown.
Create Some Ghoulish, Grinning Characters
Jack-o-lanterns make excellent additions to your indoor and outdoor decor. The artistic gourds lit up by tealights create eerie mood lighting after sunset.
Once you clean your pumpkin with soapy water to remove any germs and then hollow out the inside, the real fun begins!
The internet contains thousands of jack-o-lantern templates to choose from. And carving kits contain tools that help with subtleties like teeth, designs, and facial features.
Scare the Pants Off Everyone
Now that you’ve spooked up the joint, pull some scary pranks on your housemates. Prank a friend at their house or a coworker at work too!
No need to worry about social distancing, since the entire point of a prank is to set it up in the prankee’s absence so they’re oblivious.
Place a rubber creepy-crawly in a high-traffic area or a hooded skeleton outside your best friend’s home. Recording their reactions adds to the fun!
Get All Dressed Up, Even With Nowhere To Go
Even while homebound, you can still dress up in costumes as a fun departure from your daily work or homeschool routine.
You can post pics to social media or show off to friends and family in a video call. Bonus points for dressing up your pet too!
If you have costumes, makeup, face paint, jewelry, animal ears, etc., you’re all set. As a fun challenge, encourage everyone in the household to maintain character.
Surprise Your Little Ghosts and Goblins With A Treasure Quest
With everyone all dressed up, it’s time for trick-or-treating, with a twist! Hold a Halloween scavenger hunt in your home or yard.
Imagine an Easter egg hunt but with Halloween goodies instead. The kids still roam around for candy, but instead of going door-to-door, they must scour the premises for it.
Use written directions with clues to solve, or a drawn-up treasure map, to lead them to each pre-made bag of candy or small toy.
Throw a Halloween 2020 Monster-Mash for the Household
Quest complete and treasure plundered, gather everyone in your household to party! “Invite” loved ones via video call and combine your celebrations into one, big virtual bash.
Extend the “e-vite” to people you wouldn’t typically see at Halloween due to distance. Everyone can show off their costumes, decorations, treats, and zombie dance moves.
Candy, baked goods, and caramel apples? Check! Halloween-themed appetizers and beverages? Check! Halloween music playlist? Cranked up! Time to get the party started!
We Need A Little Halloween, Right This Very Minute
Imagine that feeling of accomplishment after putting up decorations or carving your pumpkin masterpiece.
Imagine laughing with family and friends, belly full of candy, shouting the lyrics to The Time Warp while in costume.
These experiences not only depict Halloweens past but also what Halloween 2020 could be.
Covid-19 has taken enough from you, whether it’s been your health, a loved one, your job, or your sense of security. No more.
Halloween may look different this year, but it’s possible to celebrate while staying safe and slowing the spread of the virus. And you deserve a little joy in your life right now.
So plan your wicked ensemble, eerie decor, ghoulish goodies, and ghastly festivities.
Take a step away from that black cloud and enjoy your Halloween!
