Halloween this year will be tricky, but there will be plenty of treats to find

As Halloween draws closer, many are upset that because of COVID-19, trick-or-treating will not be a possibility. In fact, guidelines from the Montgomery County council strongly discourage trick-or-treating, or any event where food is distributed. This means no in-person parties, no trick-or-treating, and no movie nights on the same couch as your friends. However, this doesn’t mean that Halloween is cancelled, or that there are no ways to enjoy the holiday. Here are a few suggestions:

Have an online party

Just because people can’t meet in person doesn’t mean that a party can’t happen! Zoom parties are a great way to stay in touch with your friends, and can even be easier than in-person parties which require considerable planning and effort. All you need to do is find a time where everyone is free, get some candy, and pull on a costume. Set up a costume competition, or just hang out with some good friends. The possibilities are endless, only inhibited by whether Zoom decides to stop working.

Put up decorations

quarantine Halloween

Photo: All around Montgomery County, Halloween decorations have sprung up (courtesy of Isabelle Megosh)

All around Montgomery County, Halloween decorations have sprung up (courtesy of Isabelle Megosh) Photo courtesy of Isabelle Megosh.

Even though trick-or-treaters won’t be seeing your decorations, plenty of other people will! Putting up decorations can help your house look the part, and as an added bonus, is incredibly fun to do! Plan a competition with friends or neighbors where the best-looking house wins a prize. Fancy decorations aren’t needed, as there are many homemade decorations that can be made with simple materials. Some examples are paper chains of pumpkins or ghosts, wreaths made of branches, or paper silhouettes placed in windows. These ideas, as well as many more, can be found here, with instructions. Have fun decorating!

Watch a good movie

For people who aren’t the biggest fan of scary movies, but want to get in the Halloween spirit, there are tons of classics to choose from. A great choice is anything by Tim Burton, including The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney Plus) and Corpse Bride (Amazon Prime, can be rented for about 4 dollars), which are some of my personal favorites. For those who are braver, check out a timeless classic such as It (available on Amazon Prime for about 4 dollars) or A Quiet Place (also available on Amazon Prime for 4 dollars). In addition, new movies are coming this year including The Craft: Legacy and Rebecca. Happy watching!

This Halloween, don’t be discouraged by the lack of trick-or-treating, as there are many options to have a good time!