Halloween Is Not Cancelled
By Melissa Tosetti
Like so many things this year, when it comes to celebrating Halloween, we're going to have to get creative.
We reached out on social media asking to hear your plans and ideas for how to celebrate Halloween in this very bizarre year. Here are the results.
1. I’m making a scary pumpkin patch in the front yard, where the pumpkins are bags of candy. We are going to sit out front, talk with neighbors (from 6 feet away) and let the kids pick up their own “pumpkins”.
2. Treat bags tied to the step railings.
3. We're all dressing up the same. I bought candy, so they won't miss that part. We're going to have a slumber party and watch movies.
4. Setting up a 6 zone haunted backyard, with a one way path, and having families we know (6 people or less per group) reserve spots at 15 minute intervals, so that we can maintain social distancing and an environment that feels safe (at least from COVID) for the participants. Candy filled bags will be available at the exit.
5. We are going to hide small pumpkins with candy or prizes., like Easter eggs, for the kids to find.
6. Drive O Ween events at local stores or parks. People decorate a space and trick or treaters drive around. Then they get a bag of goodies at the end.
7. Modifying our candy strategy a bit. Normally we have a five gallon-bucket and let the kids grab a handful. It’s something my dad started and my brothers and I have continued the tradition. This year we won’t have the bucket and we will be handing it out traditionally a piece or two for each kid. Maybe wearing gloves but haven’t decided for sure yet. Otherwise everything is normal except we are not attending parties or large gatherings. The yard will transform into a cemetery with animatronics the day of Halloween as usual.
8. Instead of trick or treating, we are having a family party.
9. Halloween lunch with costumes outside at friend’s house socially distanced with masks and less than 10 people. No candy!
10. Volunteers have organized a drive by trick or treating experience. Some folks volunteered to set up tables of individually wrapped candy bags at their homes and submitted their names and addresses for a master list, and another volunteer collected the names and emails of families interested in participating with their kids. Once both lists are finalized everyone on the latter will receive the info on the former and logistical information will be shared regarding times and COVID precautions. We’re so lucky to live in a community that worked so hard to see this holiday continue for the kids.
11. This year I decided to make and send out some Halloween cards.
12. Kid likely to hit a few houses but predominantly plan to gather at home with family for party and outdoor movie night.
13. We will put a huge bowl of wrapped mini candy bars on the front porch so they can help themselves. (We will be sitting 15’ away).
14. Decorating inside and outside. Possibly dressing up to stand outside the door to wave at kids or just take a stroll around the block (staying distanced and leaving if too crowded). Checking the Nextdoor Treat Map to see who else has decorations or costume walk-bys.
15. Trunk or Treat, Monster Mike 2.0, where people come around in cars and costumes to hand out candy to the kiddos.
As for my family? We thought for months about how to make the holiday special. Like the suggestion in #5, we’re going to do an Easter Egg type of hunt. Each bag of candy my son Dante finds will include a clue as to where he can find the next bag.
Remember, living a Savvy Life is about spending your time as well as your money purposefully. The creative ideas outlined above are all examples of intentional living.
However you decide to celebrate the holiday, I hope you and your family have a safe and wonderful time.
Melissa Tosetti is a cash flow planning expert, founder of The Savvy Life and author of the international bestseller Living The Savvy Life.
For the past eight years, she’s worked with over 625 individuals and families to create Spending Plans.
To learn about the Spending Plan process, visit The Savvy Life’s Home Page. If you’d like to learn about how The Savvy Life works with financial advisors and their clients visit: The Savvy Life Advisor’s Page.
