Everything seems different and chaotic in this COVID-19 coronavirus time in our lives. Each year this Grandma buys Halloween costumes for the grandchildren. It has become my thing. This year, with the coronavirus, the CDC has so many Halloween celebrations recommendations and limitations, I hope the grandchildren will NOT be trick or treating at all. I may just ask them their three top choices for candy and send them the candy myself!
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) updated its Halloween recommendations on September 21, 2020 and divided the holiday celebration into low risk, medium risk, and higher risk activities.
HIGH (OR AS THE CDC SAYS) HIGHER RISK HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
Traditional Halloween activities, such as door to door trick or treating and accepting candy at doors, even in ones’ own neighborhood, is high-risk for spreading COVID-19, coronavirus. Our grandchildren should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities, and they and the parents of our grandchildren should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters, high risk Halloween activities according to the CDC.
At the other end of the spectrum, according to the CDC, are low risk activities.
LOW RISK HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
This Grandma is for safety and low risk only. If you are interested in moderate risk activities, here is the link to the CDC list.
Since nothing is the same in the COVID-19 era, why should our grandchildren celebrate Halloween the same and risk contracting coronavirus. Here are some great alternatives that fall in the low risk category and still allow our grandchildren to celebrate Halloween. I have divided them into easiest to more complex or time consuming.
EASIEST HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
Cookie Dough or Cookie Mix Baking
When this Grandma wants delicious and easy, I go to the refrigerator section of the supermarket to 16 oz package of Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Lovers Cookie Dough. Just break, bake, and enjoy a dozen delicious chocolate chip cookies. For Halloween, Pillsbury has come out with cookies that are as easy as that, a package that makes 24 Ready to Bake Pumpkin Shape Sugar Cookies. They are adorable, and even our toddler grandchildren can participate. No mess, which the parents will love, as most of us grandparents will not be there in person to assist. For just a bit more work, Pillsbury Perfectly Pumpkin Premium Cookie Mix, makes three dozen real pumpkin cookies. Amazon sells this with frosting too. Thank goodness for Face Time so we can share the experience.
In Home Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt around the home is recommended as a low risk activity. Target sells an eight pack of Mini Tweed with Stitch Harvest Pumpkins for $8. Two packs can be 16 pumpkins hidden around the house, with a prize for finding them all. Alternatively, Target sell four packs of Kinder Joy (Sweet cream topped with cocoa wafer bites) Mix and match Glow-in-the-Dark Monster Halloween eggs which you can hide around the house.
MEDIUM TIME AND ENERGY
Cooking and Baking From Scratch
Foodnetwork.com has recipes for “65 Spooky Snacks Perfect for Halloween,” including Pumpkin Cereal Treats, Ghost Cupcakes, Pizza Mummies, and more.
Special Pumpkin Decorating and Halloween Crafts and Supplies
With some paints and craft supplies, grandchildren can make extra special decorated pumpkins. For fifty ideas and designs, see this article.
Michaels has paints and craft supplies special for Halloween. Michaels has supplies for foam haunted houses, decor, costume making, and more.
Virtual Activities to Plan and More
Romper.com published “These Classroom Halloween Ideas From Teachers Work For In-Person & Digital Learning,” by Abi Berwager Schreier, September 30, 2020, including how to do a virtual Zoom Halloween party and virtual costume parade, and games to play. This Grandma’s favorite was grandchildren learning about the blue moon we are going to see this Halloween and the link to vooks.com which has some great Halloween stories to stream.
Romper.com also published “Kid-Friendly Halloween Movies On Amazon Prime That Aren’t Scary,” by Ashley Ziegler, October 4, 2020 that grandparents can watch with grandchildren via Face Time.
2020 NEW HALLOWEEN DECORATING AND DECORATIONS
This Grandma’s favorite Halloween decoration this season is Boo Breaker. It is expensive at $35 but so clever in two pieces, one inside and one outside the window, Boo Breaker looks like it is a ghost flying directly through the glass. If you have not yet subscribed to Flipboard, after you see all the suggestions for decorations given by different articles on this app, you may want to.
“Yes, Halloween Trees Are Officially a Thing, and We Don’t Hate It,” by Zoe Roscoe on www.apartmenttherapy.com, shows how to brighten up our homes earlier because of coronavirus gloom with artificial trees decorated for Halloween, even table top versions.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Hope the planning for and with grandchildren and Face Time this holiday bring you Halloween
Joy,
Mema
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