The world legit came to a screeching halt in March. Where we are today is a place that I never would have imagined for the country. COVID-19 allowed all of us to realize just how quickly life, as we know it, can change. The fall season is here and the conversation has turned from how long we should be washing our hands to whether Halloween is officially cancelled this year in Anaverde Hills?
Say it isn’t so!
The team at Anaverde Magazine couldn’t help but wonder, is it really safe to go trick-or-treating this year? Is it logical? Is it responsible?
Los Angeles County public health officials initially “banned” trick-or-treating then after realizing that this ban would prove difficult to enforce, they reissued a new order stating that trick-or-treating is simply not recommended.
“This year, it’s just not safe to celebrate in the ways we usually do,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “We are recommending that trick-or-treating not happen this year.”
Well, trick-or-treating during a pandemic is much like everything else. If you’re going to go out, you want to keep your distance and instead of coming home and dumping the candy on the table to examine the goods, sanitize the treats before opening. I mean, is it really that serious though? Low key, I plan to give one whoosh of Lysol over the wrapped candy before I will allow my children to handle them. That is, unless they start eating pieces before we make it back home.
According to the Nextdoor app, many Anaverde residents expressed concern regarding whether or not it is safe to allow children to go door-to-door to collect candy. One mom shared that she was officially cancelling Halloween and is planning to stay in with her children and watch spooky movies and eat fun treats. A poll on the app was conducted in August. Out of the 187 residents who participated, 38% agree to cancel Halloween and 34% are still undecided.
The public health revision seemed to be a relief for those, who will most likely go trick-or-treating this year.
“Well to be fair, they didn’t cancel Halloween. They asked that we modify in order to keep social distancing,” said Ray Bracamontes of Anaverde.
The planning committee for the Anaverde Homeowners Association (HOA) did confirm that there will be a drive through pumpkin patch for the community but that will take place days before Halloween.
No official regulations regarding Halloween have been set by the HOA at the time of this report. Anaverde Magazine did reach out to the HOA for a comment, however, they did not provide one. There will be one half of parents, who say NO to Halloween due to COVID-19, then there will be the other half, who won’t see anything wrong with going out that night. “The last time I checked, it’s not the government’s job to decide whether we can celebrate a holiday or not,” said West Ranch resident Glenda Walsh.
While staying in to watch Halloween movies and eat goodies does sound enticing, I just find it hard to believe that that is what everyone is going to do. Trick-or-treating during a pandemic is no different than going to the grocery store or visiting friends at their homes. The only risk is receiving candy from people that you don’t know. The same thing goes for the grocery store, you don’t know who has been handling the goods so you want to use precaution.
Should you buy candy to give out? That really is up to you. I plan to distribute candy this year. Chances are, we will have a handful of children stopping by to collect. If you’re feeling up for the challenge of distributing candy this year, maybe wear your mask, not your Halloween costume mask but your regular mask when you go to the door.
If you don’t want to risk exposure, simply be kind, turn your lights off and don’t judge those who choose to come out. You can also make a sign to let trick or treaters know that you are not participating this year. Whatever you do, be nice about it. We’re all going through this together and the last thing that any of us needs is someone yelling at our children about not wanting to give them candy due to COVID-19. Save your words and kindly sit it out. The children who trick or treat in Anaverde are pretty courteous and will respect your decision.
If you would rather play it safe and not trick or treat, here are some fun activities to do with your children that will make this Halloween night just as memorable:
Alternative Halloween Celebration Ideas:
Have a costume dance party at home.
Wear partial costumes, with pizza and a movie.
Create a candy buffet for your children.
Invite family and friends over and have a costume contest for the children. Actually give a good prize like a candy basket or a $20 gift card to Target or an actual $20 bil.l
Play a Halloween trivia game for adults.
Host a flip cup party in your garage with your closest friends.
Have a simple dinner and a movie.
Host a small Halloween themed potluck.
Plan a Zoom Halloween movie and commentary with friends.
Written by: Malena Jackson
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