As leaves continue to change color and the spookiest day of the year approaches, you may feel deprived of the normal festivities that highlight the spirit of Halloween. In reminiscing upon traditional celebrations of the past, the lasting effects of the pandemic can feel discouraging in pursuing exuberance in the holidays of 2020.  

Although COVID-19 has diminished the normalcy of activities, you can still have fun. With a different approach, you can celebrate the thrilling merriment of Halloween and continue to make new memories with loved ones. Here are five ways to safely get spooky on Halloween.

Host a Halloween scavenger hunt in your house with family 

 Participating in traditional Halloween activities, such as trick-or-treating, can increase the risk of contracting or spreading both the coronavirus and the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

By replacing the traditional activity of trick-or-treating with the indoor activity of a scavenger hunt, with the individuals you live with, the festivity of hoarding delicious treats for yourself can still be enjoyed. 

Regardless of your status as a college student, this method will allow you to pursue the chase for candy and bring back the childhood memories of traditional, Halloween fun. 

Have a Zoom party with friends 

“Avoid congregating inside with other groups of people. We have good, solid guidelines warning against indoor gatherings based on the increased risk,” wrote Kristen Padilla, pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, with the University of Michigan Health Blog. 

While it is necessary to avoid indoor gatherings that increase the risk of contracting the respiratory virus, it is still possible to experience the thrill of Halloween with friends. 

The implementation of Zoom can be used to host a scary, virtual movie night with friends through screen-sharing. Not only can you virtually watch horror movies with friends, but you can also wear a costume and present them to your friends in your own Zoom party. 

This virtual method guarantees the safety of all loved ones and the spooky fun that you will ensue. 

Bake spooky Halloween treats 

According to the CDC, the act of participating in one-way trick-or-treating, in which bags of candy are individually wrapped in goodie bags and placed on driveways for families to take and leave, still presents a moderate risk for contracting the coronavirus. 

However, you can still indulge in the high quantities of sugar that Halloween traditionally promises. 

From baking cookies frosted with the designs of spiderwebs to cupcakes frosted to look like pumpkins, there are countless ways to create mystifying and delicious treats. 

This delicious method will diminish any prior worries of missing out on your favorite spooky treats. 

Visit a pumpkin patch 

Visiting a pumpkin patch is an effective method to counter the frustrations of remaining inside the home and safely enjoy a traditional festivity. 

According to the CDC, visiting a pumpkin patch is a safe method as long as specific guidelines are followed. These guidelines include wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching frequently handled surfaces such as the pumpkins, and maintaining social distancing. 

Visiting a pumpkin patch will surround you with the ambiance of the spooky season and aid you in finding the perfect pumpkin to take home. 

Carve and decorate pumpkins with a small group 

“Pumpkin carving is usually done outside anyway. Using a couple [of] tables and inviting a small intimate group from your pod [household] to come over to carve pumpkins is a safe thing to do while keeping people separate,” wrote Kristen Padilla with the University of Michigan Health Blog. 

Pumpkin carving is a safe activity that can be conducted in a small group as long as the aforementioned guidelines are followed: such as carving pumpkins in an outdoor space, wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining social distancing.  

This festive activity will allow you to channel your artistic side and create petrifying pumpkin designs that can be showcased to loved ones. 

While the pandemic has challenged the traditional activities that embody the spirit of Halloween, there are a variety of new traditions to try that you may find yourself continuing in the following years. 

These new traditions will allow you to make lasting memories with loved ones, so remember to be safe and get spooky this Halloween.