With Halloween around the corner, your instinct may be to pull out the witch hat and dancing shoes. Yet, with the pandemic, partying is not the smartest move right now. 

It isn’t just about protecting yourself but about declining the spread and protecting others. Here are other, safer ways to celebrate the horrifying holiday.  

One of the best ways to celebrate Halloween is with horror movie nights with the people you live with. This is a relaxing, yet fun activity. There can be costumes, lots of food and mild responsible drinking. 

If movies aren’t for you, scavenger hunts and board games can be the way. 

Since we all are indoors, decorating the house won’t be an issue. This is a great way to bring out our artistic side. Apart from those activities, pumpkin carving with the house members is always a delight. Again, all this can have a little spooky twist to it. 

With current technology, Zoom is the new Casper. Take the opportunity to video chat with friends or family and celebrate online. This is a great way to show off our costumes, watch films and party like it’s 1929 from a distance.

Seeking out opportunities within your community is also a great solution. 

Numerous communities are holding drive thrus, outside events, safe-distance pumpkin patches and one-sided haunted trails. Even Del Mar’s Scream Zone opted from its traditional walk-through trails to a thrilling car-ride horror fest. 

Wearing costumes is a definite must, because why not? 

A good tip would be to incorporate your actual mask into your costume.  A costume mask on its own would not be a good substitute, instead, try anything that has layers of breathable fabric or your own mask. Aim for Michael Myers in a pandemic, not Jason. Also, do not spray your mask with paint.

You can still choose to give out candy to children if there are any spooky goblins at the door. 

Try stuffing goodie bags beforehand, so that you can distribute the baggies individually rather than having people reach into a bowl repeatedly. It might also be best to remain outside if this is the case, as this will limit the number of times the doorbell is touched. 

If at the end of this, you still wish to wear those dancing shoes and a witch hat, make sure that it comes with a mask. While parties are discouraged, parties that are small, ghostly and have immediate members can be acceptable. If this is the case, be responsible for how the food and drinks are distributed. 

Continuously reinforce for members to wear masks. After a meal, it is important to either replace your mask or put it back on. Parties that are no-mask should be a no-go. It’s Halloween, people aren’t supposed to recognize you! 

Remember, this year has been different; quite frankly it’s been our own real-life horror film. Let us celebrate Halloween safely and cautiously.