Halloween is usually at that time of year where people of all ages have parties, go to haunted houses, and of course,  go trick-or-treating. However, 2020 has not been like other years, and due to COVID-19, many of the traditional Halloween activities have been either modified or canceled in some parts of the United States.

Some states have not canceled trick-or-treating, but instead are encouraging residents to celebrate Halloween safely. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has said that Halloween is not canceled, but that is not an excuse to forget about COVID. Whether parents want to send their children trick-or-treating or not is up to them, but many homeowners have come up with creative ideas to distribute candy. There is a popular craft called a pumpkin chute, where the person in the house puts candy onto the chute and it slides down to the trick-or-treater. Others are simply going to leave a bucket of candy outside so that kids can pick what they want without being handed the candy. Some costumes will probably look even better this year with themed masks!

Other cities across the country are not so lucky with Halloween, as many have canceled trick-or-treating and celebrations. Some of these places include: Los Angeles County, Denver, Orlando and Chicago. These larger cities feel that it is unsafe for Halloween festivities to take place because social distancing cannot happen. Yearly traditions such as the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade in New York City have had to be canceled to protect the health and safety of the public.

However you and your friends and family decide to celebrate Halloween this year, make sure that you are being safe, and most importantly, having fun!