All Hallows Eve may look a little different this year in the face of COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. There are lots of ways to social distance and still celebrate this year’s haunted holiday. Here are three ways to social distance this Halloween.
Go Virtual
With so many of us relying more on video meet-up solutions these days to stay connected for work during the pandemic, it only makes sense to use this technology to help stay in touch during the holidays, too. With your friends and family in virtual view, you can catch up, play games and even show off those creative costumes.
Here are a handful of the more popular virtual options people are using to stay in touch with friends and family:
- Google Hangouts: With your Gmail account, video chat up to 10 people at a time
- Zoom: Share screens, message your chat host and even record your meeting with this popular video virtual meet-up option
- Houseparty: Take part in chats of up to eight people per virtual room at a time
- Skype: Well-established as a reliable video chatting option, Skype even lets you enable subtitling, in case you’re chatting with family and friends that are hard of hearing
- Instagram: With an Instagram account, video chat up to six people through the direct messaging feature
- Facebook Messenger: Start up a message with a group of up to 50 people. Then simply press the video button option to start up your meeting.
Sweets at a Distance
With everyone keeping physical contact to a minimum this year, alternatives to the traditional doorbell trick-or-treating have been at the top of everyone’s list. Here are a few options:
Scavenger Hunt
Set up a large sign in your yard with a list of spooky sweets trick-or-treaters can find as they make their way through different obstacles you’ve prepared. And have your sign encourage them to social distance as they do this—one at a time or in small groups. This is a great way to creep out neighborhood kids with props and haunted yard décor. At each obstacle, leave a bowl of candy, treats or surprises they can gather along their ghoulish journey.
Trick-Or-Treat Station
Set up a large Halloween-themed table or decorate the open trunk of your car at the end of your driveway. Then use it as a trick-or-treat station for kids to collect candy as they make the rounds through your neighborhood. You and your family and friends can even dress up in costumes while you’re on your porch or at a reasonable distance away.
Candy Chute
A candy chute is another popular option for handing out treats for costumed kids who show up at your door this Halloween. The concept is simple enough. Just set up a tube, at least 6 feet long, angled down from your door out to where trick-or-treaters can safely collect candy at the other end. A length of 6-inch thick PVC pipe works great for this. You can mount it to a railing—if you’ve got one—or to a couple of chairs or bar stools. Click here to read a helpful DIY article on making your own.
Make it a Movie Night
This year, Halloween is on a Saturday, which makes it a perfect late night to curl up on the couch for a round of scary movies with the family—a great alternative if you’re wanting to maximize social distancing. Here are a few of our picks:
Kid-Friendly—PG Rated
Coraline (2009): This animated movie starring Dakota Fanning follows the frightening adventure of Coraline, a young girl who feels ignored by her parents, as she finds herself trapped in a terrifying alternate universe.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Journey with Pumpkin King Jack Skellington as he tries to infuse Halloween Town with the spirit of Christmas.
Labyrinth (1986): In this cult classic, Sarah, played by Jennifer Connelly, journeys through a magical labyrinth to rescue her baby brother from the clutches of the wicked—though charismatic—Goblin King, played by David Bowie.
Grown-Ups Only
Halloween (1978): Prepare to be terrified as a murderous Michael Myers escapes a mental institution the night before Halloween and sets his sights on stalking and killing high school student Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Myers catches up to her on Halloween night.
Shadow of the Vampire (2000): Was “Nosferatu” star Max Schreck just an accomplished actor? Or was there something more sinister behind his seemingly convincing portrayal of the undead in the 1922 silent movie classic on the life of a vampire? This award-winning film, starring John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe, might leave you wondering.
The Shining (1980): Step into a world of madness as father and husband Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, is gradually possessed with murderous intent aimed at his wife and son while staying at the Overlook Hotel. “All work and no play” really does make an axe-wielding Jack “a dull boy.”
Midsommer (2019): Good luck sleeping after following characters Dani and Christian to a “once-in-a-lifetime” getaway at a surreal Swedish death commune. To help rid the pagan cult of evil, girlfriend Dani is presented with a choice, but what will her decision mean for boyfriend Christian?
The Sixth Sense (1999): The suspense doesn’t end in this supernatural psychological thriller from writer and director M. Night Shyamalan. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, struggles to help a young boy who sees and talks to the dead. And you’ll be rewarded with a masterful twist at the end.
From all of us here at Veteran Energy, we hope you have a frighteningly fun and safe Halloween.
