Now that Halloween will be “celebrated” this coming weekend in the midst of Covid precautions – how do we keep our children, and everyone else, safe?
I luckily came across a front-page article in The Wall Street Journal titled 2020 is Already Scary – Halloween Likely Won’t Be, which outlines ways a few people are being just that – creative. First is a description of how a fellow figured out how he could safely hand out candy to Trick-or-Treaters along with beverages to their accompanying parents.
He rigged up a zip line at his home in Garden City, Michigan. The 30-foot steel cable runs from his porch to a post by the sidewalk. There are two pulleys – a wooden basket attached behind a $15 “delivery ghost” holds beverages. The candy is loaded into the creature’s hands. He shoves it out, the kids and parents retrieve their goodies, then he pulls it back with a fishing reel. A video showing the whole set-up has received over 25 million views. Check out this video on YouTube.
If you’d rather not go to the trouble of ziplining your front yard, many parents are using their back yard to organize candy hunts for their children. Or . . .a family in Cincinnati figured out how to deliver candy through a chute by the front door while remaining at least six feet behind it. They wrapped orange duct tape and a string of lights around the tube, which they first painted black, and installed it on a railing by the front steps. The father plans to wear a mask, stand back and instruct the Trick-or-Treaters to hold their bags below the tube so the candy can drop in.
However, if you truly want to keep your little ones safe and still give them an adventure on Saturday night, you can always arrange a cozy family get-together where you could read timely stories to them. One new picture book that’s getting rave reviews is It’s Halloween, Little Monster. This is a bestseller by Helen Ketteman who has written 27 books for children that have received awards such as “Pick of the List Books” by the American Booksellers Association.
An idea for you readers who don’t have youngsters in your household but still would like to “get into the spirit” of Halloween, you might check out a book of scary short stories: Autumn Nights: 13 Spooky Fall Reads.
This is a clever anthology by eight female and two male authors who also have their own separate lists of clever novels. . . from hayrides to corn mazes, witches to demons, scary bonfires with doses of humor to twists on classic tales. This collection brings them all together.
Finally, there is a Facebook readers group that is offering a Halloween Give-Away on October 28. Anyone can sign up here.
Oh such fun ideas–love the zip line! It's been quite a year and it isn't over yet…but I am truly hoping less scary times are coming (except in our books 🙂
I'm with you on all of this Jenny – thanks for your comment!…Karna Small Bodmab
What great ideas, Karna, and across so many lines (zip, included). I loved that you included great stuff for us adults as well! You always write such terrific blogs!
Where I live I am surrounded by so many vacant lots and relatively few school age children that in 20 years we have once–once–had a group of three trick-or-treaters. I guess that makes me lucky since I get to eat all the chocolate myself!
Like Lisa, we never have trick or treaters, because we are at the end of a dark road and surrounded by big trees that look scary when goblins are out at night! I'm feeling a little sad for the kids who won't get to enjoy all the traditional fun of Halloween. But all these ideas you've gathered, Karna, show once again the human spirit rising to the occasion. Thanks for the reminder!
Wow! What an incredible group of writers you are! Thank you so much for featuring my book on your website.
I grew up in the old days when packs of kids could run around our small town trick-or-treating without adult
supervision. And our school always had a Halloween carnival. Lot of good things about being in the here and now – but also some really good things I miss about the there and then!! Thank you again . Helen Ketteman
Thank you for these suggestions! I have three young grandchildren. 🙂
Nice to ‘meet’ you, Helen! We grew up in similar small towns. 😉 Off to get your book!
So are you and your husband going to hook up a zip line? I have to see this!…Karna Small Bodman
I'm with Lisa and Val here — we don't get many kids even on an "ordinary" Halloween- so with the "left-overs — just remember chocolates do very well in the freezer for all of us chocoholics to indulge our every whim!…Karna
Yes, so happy to see Helen Ketteman visit us here – she's a fabulous writer of children's picture books — everyone should check them out!!! Karna Small Bodman