Kids dress in elaborate costumes, crowding the streets, as they grab fistfuls of candy from communal bowls in the shape of jack-o’-lanterns. Laughter and excitement fill the air. Houses flaunt their spooky decorations and flashing lights. Like so many aspects of life this year, Halloween will not be the same during the pandemic. 

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. The costumes, the candy and the decorations foster a certain unified spirit for everyone. Unfortunately, the coronavirus prompted widespread cancellations of these festivities. 

It was incredibly important to avoid high risk activities like trick-or-treating while taking certain precautions like wearing masks and social distancing. Celebrating using alternatives that would not encourage the spread of the virus is essential.

Small groups of friends and family, preferably outside, were the optimal way to celebrate Halloween this year. Parents got creative with new ideas for younger kids, such as family scavenger hunts for candy and Halloween drive-by’s when adults throw wrapped candies out of their windows to kids in their yards. Pumpkin carving, more robust decorations and watching scary movies together were also ways to make it feel more like Halloween. 

Trick-or-treating and costume parties were advised against by the Connecticut State Department of Public Health. With an increase in social interaction, sharing of air and physical contact, mass gatherings could have been fatal. It was necessary to oblige to health guidelines to ensure public safety and to prevent the spread of this highly infectious disease, even if it meant missing out on some treasured Halloween traditions.