As the holiday approaches, it is becoming abundantly clear that Halloween, just like everything else this year, will be affected by the coronavirus. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I have seen so many things I have grown accustomed to change before my eyes, and it seems that Halloween is no different.

I had widely associated Halloween with tacky costumes, mushy jack-o-lanterns and the smell of last-minute, store-bought candy. Never would I have thought the holiday would, or even could, be anything else, as just last year I was out late with my friends walking around the neighborhood with a pillowcase full of candy.

However, it seems as though people may be celebrating differently this year, as COVID-19 still has a major impact on our everyday lives, and doesn’t seem like it’s going to be gone anytime soon. With just days to go before Halloween, the question is whether or not trick-or-treating is a good idea. 

Ever since I was a little kid, Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy getting to dress up to go get free candy? However, with the threat of the coronavirus and the fear of spreading germs to one another, should people trick or treat?

In my opinion, people should not go trick-or-treating this year; it’s just a bad idea. Trick-or-treating leads to crowds of germ-infested children going door to door asking for candy, with no regard to social distancing or staying safe and healthy. 

Not only could one of the children, or even adults, have and spread COVID-19 to every house they go to, but they could also be one of the few who don’t show symptoms when infected by the disease and can unwittingly continue to spread the coronavirus long after Halloween has ended. You never know who might be sick or if you could get sick, and at the moment, the risk of contracting the virus is higher. 

Now, I’m not saying not to celebrate Halloween, and I’m not saying it’s wrong to go trick-or-treating, I’m just saying there are safer alternatives that will limit the spread of germs and the virus. 

Some people think a solution to trick-or-treating safely would be to wear masks the entire night, but would that really work? How many kids do you think would keep their masks on the whole time? Not only that, but do you really think everyone would even wear a mask if they were to go out and trick or treat? The answer is no, not everyone will wear a mask while trick-or-treating, or when handing out candy.

Of course, I’ll miss trick-or-treating and the candy, but even though we won’t have the most traditional Halloween this year, there are still ways we can safely spend the night while still having fun. 

My normal plans for Halloween would be going trick-or-treating with a small group of friends, staying out all night until our bags were full of candy that would never be fully eaten. This year, however, my plans are to have a friend over, watch a movie (most likely holiday-related), and maybe carve some pumpkins for fun. 

You can also do this: carve pumpkins, watch movies, dress up for a Halloween photo shoot, spend time with your family and friends, all the while staying safe (or more safe than you would be trick-or-treating). 

Although you’re allowed to go out and spend the night going house to house asking for candy, it’s better and safer for your health to not go trick-or-treating this year.