Creative, safe ways to Trick-or-Treat

By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun

Most of the year 2020 has been more of a “trick” than a “treat,” and as people continue to limit their activities because of the ongoing COVID situation, it looked like Halloween would be the next holiday to get scrapped. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Halloween is actually one of the most adaptable holidays, since it’s all about creativity and flexibility. And of all the Halloween activities, trick-or-treating can be one of the most fun ones to modify this year. Here are some creative, safe ways to trick-or-treat this year.

First, there’s always the option to stay home. Some families will just not feel it’s safe to go out no matter what, and their friends and neighbors will (or should) respect that. But for those who feel that this outdoor activity with short interactions with others is fine, here are some ways to enjoy it. Most of these ideas eliminate the “middle man” — meaning kids don’t have to go knock on doors, or even keep reaching into the same bowl — making it so kids can safely trick-or-treat.

Elaborate ideas

Feeling really creative? You can create a candy delivery method that really takes things up a notch! Do a search for “Halloween candy chute,” “Halloween candy slide,” “Halloween candy cannon,” or the like, and you will find an endless supply of ideas. These will take a bit of time to make but they use simple materials that you can find anywhere. If you like the concept, but are really short on time, then just keep it simple, using something that you could easily turn into a “slide” — such as putting some plywood (covered with a plastic tablecloth) over the steps to your front door so you could then send the candy or other treats down to your “socially distanced” guests.

Super-Easy Methods

These next ideas are not as wacky or cool, but still provide creative, safe ways to trick-or-treat. They all basically involve setting the candy or other treats or giveaways (such as small toys) in individual bags that kids can pick up. This avoids having kids reaching into the same bucket (in fact, you won’t be using a bucket or bowl at all!) but just grabbing one item at a time and moving on.

You can put a sign that says “one per child” or just watch from your doorway or window so you also can see how your supply is running and how cute the kids look in their costumes! You also can set out a large jar of hand sanitizer, a roll of paper towels, or the (highly coveted) disinfectant wipes where kids can easily access them. Here are some easy ways to set up the individual treat bags:

• Clip them to a tree, using clothespins, and call it a “Trick-or-Tree!”
• Tape the bags to your front door
• Tape the bags to your garage door(s)
• Use two rods or large dowels to hang a string for a makeshift “clothesline,” and tape or pin the bags to that
• Tape the bags to the top and the edge of a folding table

Do you have other ideas for creative, safe trick-or-treating? Share with your neighbors in the comments below!