Celebrating Halloween This Year

You may be wondering how Halloween will look this year, given that cases of Covid-19 are still on the rise in many places throughout the country. As it always has been, necessity is the mother of invention. One thing we humans have always been good at is adapting to change, and celebrating Halloween this year will be no different. 

So don’t lament! While we should be ready to change plans if it isn’t safe to trick-or-treat in your area (based on guidance from the CDC), new Halloween traditions are just waiting to be born. Here are five creative ways parents have shared keep the spirit of Halloween alive while keeping your family members safe.

Halloween Dinner

Mia’s family of five will be making fall recipes this weekend. “We let each of the kids pick out their favorite recipes, and we’ll be making them together as a family,” she says. “When we let our 5, 7, and 10-year-old help plan and prepare our meal for a special occasion, the time together feels extra meaningful. We’ll be making mac-n-cheese, chicken pot pie and pumpkin muffins.” Tip: add a Halloween soundtrack while you cook to get in the spirit!

Halloween Movie Night

We’ve yet to meet a kid who will turn down a movie night. Alex is looking forward to watching Hocus Pocus with his 13 and 15-year-old. “It was on repeat at Halloween in my house growing up,” he shares, “and I love passing on that tradition to my girls. There’s just something about this movie that totally puts you in the Halloween spirit.” lf your kiddos are a little younger, check out this very helpful list of over 40 Halloween movies that won’t keep them up at night.

Costumed Dance Party on Zoom

Costumes are and will always be a key element to any Halloween celebration. Angel and her young family will be donning their costumes and having a dance party in the living room while they Zoom with grandparents. “My parents both still work and live about 6 hours away, so they don’t usually join us for Halloween,” she says. “But this year with so much more time spent apart than usual, we want to include them in a costume party. They’re dressing as Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol.” If you want the entertainment value to last longer for the little ones, introduce flashlights and glowsticks!

Backyard Hayride

“We live near my in-laws, and they have a big backyard complete with a green tractor,” shares Caitlin, mother of two toddlers. “Instead of our normal trick-or-treating ritual, my mother- and father-in-law are getting the grandkids together (in costumes, of course) for a backyard hayride, a scavenger hunt, and a few games.” You could do your own version of this in any size space. Browse this list of outdoor fall games for kids and pick your favorites for celebrating Halloween this year!

Make Gifts for Friends

If there’s one lesson that this year has taught us, it’s that a strong connection to the community is good for everyone. Nick and his wife Kim are decorating little pumpkins with their teenagers and leaving them on their neighbor’s doorsteps with a greeting card. “My kids are really artistic, and they babysit a few kids in our neighborhood,” says Nick. “They felt badly that the kids won’t get to experience a normal Halloween this year, so they’re making gifts for everyone to cheer them up.” 

If any of these ideas got your wheels turning, share anything you have to add below!