When news broke that Los Angeles County banned trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and Halloween parades, I was crushed. As my phone blew up with texts and the news was shared on my Facebook feed, the plaguing question was, “What are you going to do?”
I have no plans to cancel the celebrations. In fact, I’ve already bought our family costumes this year and extra fabric to make homemade protective masks to match. Luckily, Los Angeles County walked-back their guidelines from banned to not recommended status, but since then I’ve put a lot of thought into how we can still pull off a socially distanced Halloween.
Halloween is NOT Canceled
So, I rallied with some of the neighbors, checked in with my mom friends, and put together a slew of safe socially distanced Halloween ideas and ways to celebrate.
#1 – Watch All “31 Nights of Halloween” On Freeform
This is an annual tradition in my house already. Come October 1, we plan every movie night around this spooky line-up of Halloween cult classics. Bookmark the full spell-binding lineup here.
#2 – Hide Candy In The Yard For A Halloween Candy Hunt
If your kids are little enough, you can hide candy, treats, or small toys in the yard for them to find. If they’re a little older, you can opt for a scavenger hunt with spooky clues and riddles to solve for a fun socially distanced Halloween alternative to trick-or-treating.
#3 – Binge Halloween Baking Championships
Catch up on all the latest episodes of all the amazing Halloween baking shows on Food Network and then try your hand at your own creepishly delicious plate. I’ve got a leg up on the competition. (Shameless plus for my brother-in-law from Santa Ana currently cooking up our worst nightmares on season six of Halloween Baking Championships!)
#4 – Snap Professional Photos At A Safe Distance
Get the kids dressed in their costumes and hire a local photographer for a mini-shoot to capture this very unique Halloween.
#5 – Host A Zoom Cocktail Hour With Spooky Concoctions
Brew up a tasty cocktail and get boozy with your favorite friends. For a treat that’s sure to to please, drop off a pre-made cocktail like one of these (for adults only) for a safe and socially distanced Halloween party.
#6 – Participate In A Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest
Carve the pumpkin at home, post a video or photo of your pumpkin on social media, and whoever gets the most likes wins. If you’re feeling really brave, place wagers to see who wins as a fan favorite. Currently wagering bottles of wine in my pumpkin war.
#7 – Gaze Up At The Rare Halloween Blue Moon
Halloween night marks the second full moon – also called a “blue moon” – and quite possibly our last chance at reversing this curse that is 2020.
#8 – Socially Distanced Halloween Trick-or-Treat
Lucky for me, I have some very creative family members. We’re working on contraptions for the neighborhood kids so candy will be “delivered” at a safe distance – if they dare. I’m letting parents know on my nightly walks that they can come anytime that weekend for a tasty treat and maybe a spooky trick or two. I’ve already bought the matching masks for my kid’s costume and am learning which parents are planning to do the same.
#9 – Compete In Cupcake Wars!
Battle it out with other kids and teens for the title of spookiest, creepiest, most creative cupcake imaginable. OCMC Guest Contributor Jill Effron, who is also a personal chef and cooking instructor, is hosting a Halloween Cupcake War contest! Multiple age categories with fun prizes plus cupcake decorating tips for $40 per person. Email her at [email protected] to sign up.
#10 – Play A Massive Trick On Your Kids And Tell Them It’s Canceled
This one might be best served for the kids who have been especially horrific through distance learning. Your call, mom. How far do you want to take it?
Got more ideas for how to celebrate a socially distanced Halloween? Let us know in the comments!
