Jump to: Things To Do Instead of Trick or Treating ~ 16 Ideas for Celebrating Halloween ~ Covid-19 Halloween Signs ~ Covid-19 Halloween Tips

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A Halloween candy tree is a festive way to welcome fall and bring the season's cheer to your porch. Families can create a Halloween tree with their artificial Christmas tree - no matter the color - by decorating it with strings of bright lights, whimsically scary decorations, and an assortment of their favorite candies for neighborhood kids to take during trick-or-treating. Selecting a treat from the tree makes the safe, self-serve experience much more fun. And, when the haunted holiday is done, families can move the tree inside and decorate for Christmas.

After a tough year, Americans are eagerly anticipating holiday cheer. The #halloweentree trend that has generated tens of thousands of posts on Pinterest and Instagram is likely to gain steam, alongside the popularity of black Christmas trees. Offering a dressy, high-contrast backdrop for ornaments, black already is the most popular Christmas tree color after traditional green, followed by white and pink.

As consumers seek alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating, such as socially distanced and safe ways to summon some hocus pocus, Zolli Candy is also helping them continue to provide healthier options for guilt-free treats. Given the pandemic, there has been a behavioral shift in the focus consumers are putting on their health. They are more sensitive to what they are eating, and with Zolli Candy, celebrating Halloween this year has never been easier. And, with Halloween falling on a Saturday and a full harvest moon this year, it's sure to be extra spooky!

The ZolliCandy line is an all-natural, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and non-GMO candy, and certified sugar-free by Sugarwise. It contains erythritol and xylitol (healthy sugar alternatives) to not only provide guilt-free sweetness but also to improve oral health. To learn more about the healthy, after-you-eat-treat, please visit ZolliCandy.com.

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Please Wear Face Mask Thank You

Things To Do Instead Of Trick Or Treating:

🎃 10 Ideas for Halloween Fun in COVID Times - Finding new ways to celebrate a favorite holiday

🎃 Halloween Scavenger Hunt Printables

🎃 Halloween Fun at Home With the Family | Crafts, Recipes, Activities, and More!

🎃 6 Fun Halloween Activities for Families - Parents Can Create New Halloween Traditions During the Coronavirus Pandemic

🎃 20+ Virtual Escape Rooms For Kids Of All Ages - Here are 20+ virtual escape rooms for kids of all ages. And yes, they are all FREE!

🎃 FREE Printable: 2020 Covid-19 Memory Book

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By: Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert at The Real Deal Blog

Quarantine Halloween Coloring Book

Decorate Your House to the Max

Haunt the neighborhood with store-bought or DIY (or shall we say boo-it-yourself) Halloween decorations to transform the inside of your home, porch, and more.

We've compiled DIY ideas ranging from Ombré Candy Corn Wine Bottles and Glow-in-the-Dark Slime, all of which you can tackle with the kiddos.

On the store-bought front,

Haunted Halloween Tree

The Home Depot has SO many cool Halloween decorations this year, including a Coco-themed inflatable and a Giant Dragon.

If Home Depot is sold out of the giant dragon, check Amazon, they still have lots of 5 ft to 15 ft Halloween dragon decorations!

Also, apparently, people are turning their Christmas trees into kitschy Halloween trees!

Plus, there's this super-popular RJ Legend 15-inch Halloween Ceramic Tree, which is constantly selling out but available right now at Amazon.

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Halloween Foam Tombstone

Set up a Candy Graveyard

I got this idea from Oriental Trading!

The concept is extra cool because your yard gets decked out for Halloween and gives kids a way to social distance while trick-or-treating in it.

Set up fake tombstones in your yard with prizes and candy piled up next to each tombstone.

You could have each kid enter the graveyard one at a time and package up candy and prizes into individual treat bags for extra safety.

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Ultimate Halloween Party Playlist

Host Zoom Costume Parties and Pumpkin-Carving Contests

Host a Halloween-themed costume or dance party on Zoom for friends and family.

Create a spooktacular playlist for everyone to shake their boo things to, and have attendees show off their costumes on camera.

You can also gather remotely to decorate and carve pumpkins safely from your own homes.

Interact while you craft by sharing spooky stories.

At the end, award prizes (virtual prizes or ones you send via snail mail) to the best looks!

Don't forget to add a Halloween Zoom Background, so you can attend your virtual event in spooky style, or just creep out your co-workers in the October meetings!

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Car Trunk Halloween Kit

Attend a Trunk-or-Treat

Trunk-or-treating is one of the trends buzzing this year in terms of socially distant trick-or-treat substitutes.

An organized event usually held in a school or church parking lot, trunk-or-treating entails decorated vehicles, and kids go trick-or-treating from car to car.

You can host this in your neighborhood, too, with neighbors setting up trunk displays in the driveway and passing out candy.

Jelly Bean Dispenser

Note: Consider having designated adults (who commit to applying hand sanitizer) give out the candy rather than encourage lots of little hands to reach inside the bowl.

Here are a few lists to check out for inspiration!

🎃 45 Creative Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for the Whole Family

🎃 41 Cool Trunk Or Treat Ideas To Celebrate Halloween This Year

🎃 50 epic trunk-or-treat decorating ideas you wish you had time for

🎃 130+ Trunk Or Treat Ideas For A Fun Halloween 2025

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Halloween Skeleton

Be on the Lookout for Socially Distant Bicycle Parades and Reverse Trick-or-Treating in Neighborhoods

Another trend we're hearing about is Halloween parades or a form of drive-by trick-or-treating.

With the former, costume wearers take to the street as a catwalk to show off their costumes and hand out and collect candy.

Grim Reaper Driving Pumpkin Carriage

People also decorate bikes, wagons, golf carts, and cars to show off their looks!

9 Creative Ideas for Celebrating Birthdays During a Global Pandemic

Virtual Party Extravaganza: Host a themed virtual party with friends and family. Choose a fun theme like '80s retro, tropical paradise, or even a pajama party, and encourage everyone to dress up!

Drive-By Celebration: Organize a drive-by parade where loved ones can honk, wave, and drop off gifts or cards while maintaining social distance.

DIY Spa Day: Treat yourself to a relaxing day at home with face masks, a bubble bath, and your favorite snacks. Light candles and play soothing music for the ultimate self-care experience.

Outdoor Picnic: If restrictions allow, enjoy a socially distanced picnic in a park or your backyard. Pack your favorite foods and enjoy the fresh air.

Movie Marathon: Create a cozy movie night with your favorite films, popcorn, and blankets. You can even sync up with friends online to watch together.

Bake Your Own Cake: Get creative in the kitchen and bake a cake or cupcakes. Decorate them however you like—it’s a fun and tasty activity!

Memory Lane Scrapbook: Spend the day reminiscing by creating a scrapbook or photo album of your favorite memories. It’s a meaningful way to reflect on the past year.

Virtual Escape Room: Gather friends online and solve puzzles together in a virtual escape room. It’s an exciting and interactive way to celebrate.

Charity Birthday: Use your birthday as an opportunity to give back. Start a fundraiser for a cause you care about and ask friends to donate in lieu of gifts.

Even during challenging times, birthdays can be filled with joy and creativity!

Those in the car will throw individually wrapped candy at the kids in costumes in their yards.

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You've Been Booed!

Boo or Ghost People

No, not that kind of ghosting of people, y'all!

Spread anonymous cheer by dropping a Halloween goodie bag or pumpkin on the doorsteps of friends and loved ones as a contact-free way to celebrate.

This usually works by sneaking to your boo-ing subject's home after dark, ringing the doorbell, leaving the treats on their doorstep, and running!

Amazon has all sorts of fun treat bags, buckets, toys, and candy to work with.

Princess Pinky Girl has all sorts of fun boo ideas.

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Ultimate Halloween Collection

Have a Halloween Movie Marathon

You can choose to do this one via a projector in the backyard, through Netflix Party, or just with your family bubble on the couch.

Pop some popcorn and throw on your favorite spooky movies and TV shows.

Check out our list of The 31 Best HALLOWEEN SEASON Movies To Get You In The Spirit.

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Halloween Eggs

Organize a Glow-in-the-Dark Egg Hunt

Egg hunts aren't just for Easter.

Buy Halloween-themed eggs at Amazon, or Halloween-ify old plastic eggs you already own (glow sticks work, too!) with stickers or markers.

Add candy, and hide them in the yard or around the house!

Grab glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark eggs at Amazon for a nighttime search.

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Halloween Checkered Tablecloth

Set up a Trick-or-Treat Driveway Table

Ditch the traditional communal Halloween candy bowl and have adults set up decorated tables or booths in their front yards where they can hand out individual bags or cups of candy.

This keeps contact to a minimum while also still showcasing decorations and a hauntingly good personality.

Oriental Trading has ideas for a Fortune Teller Halloween Table, Ghoul Gang Halloween Table, Peanuts Halloween Table, and so much more.

Plus, they’ve got you covered on all the items you need to achieve the look.

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Halloween Recipes Cookbook

Whip Up DIY Treats or Order Halloween Specials From Restaurants

Brew up your own Halloween desserts and snacks (popcorn balls, anyone?) to enjoy at home, or order takeout from one of the restaurants serving up Halloween-themed menu items and deals.

IHOP, Papa John's and Chipotle are expected to resurrect their themed pancakes, Jack-O'-Lantern pizza and boo-rito.

Chuck E. Cheese is doing a special at-home Halloween party with Kidz Bop featuring special menu items and activities.

More Halloween Restaurant Specials

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Haunted Yard Sign

Try Out a Drive-Thru Haunted House if You're Feeling Brave

Haunted houses will certainly look different this year, too.

But drive thru, contact-free Halloween experiences are starting to make headlines.

Search online for haunted roads or drive thru haunted houses to see if there is one near you!

Search for a haunted house near you

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Drive-In Horror Show

Head to a Drive-In Theater for Halloween Movies

Drive-in theaters have made a major comeback during the pandemic.

Search for a drive-in near you (US)

Search for a drive-in near you (Canada)

Many plan to screen Halloween movies and host socially distant activities.

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Pumpkin Patch Backdrop

Make a Reservation at a Pumpkin Patch

This is TBD, but we're expecting (and some are already announcing this) pumpkin patches to open but with safety precautions.

Such as cashless payment, masks, hand sanitizer, and limited capacity.

Maybe even by reservation only to ensure social distancing and safety.

Find a pumpkin patch near you - Find a pumpkin patch, corn maze, safe trick-or-treating, hayrides and other Fall and Halloween fun near you! (US, Canada, UK, and more)

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Holidays Around the World

Celebrate Halloween Around the World But From Home

You might not be able to travel the globe right now, but you can do so in spirit.

Educate your family and friends on Día de los Muertos in Mexico, Samhain in Ireland and Scotland, Dzień Zaduszny in Poland or Ghost Festival in East Asia.

Celebrate these other traditions, and consider cooking or baking traditional foods and making crafts associated with those international events.

P.S. The Halloween Tree is a great animated movie to watch with the family.

It educates and celebrates the origins and influencers of Halloween around the world.

The movie is based on the novel by Ray Bradbury.

He even narrates the film!

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Halloween Mini Pinatas

Coronavirus Pinata

Halloween Piñatas, Anyone?

Either in your house or in the yard, string up a Halloween-themed piñata filled with candy and/or party favors.

Amazon and Walmart have boo-tiful piñatas sure to be a hit.

Or make your own DIY Ghost Pinatas!

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Hollywood Red Carpet Theme

Surprise Your Halloween-Loving Friends With a Spooky Celebrity Shoutout

Cameo is a service that allows you to pay actors, musicians, reality TV stars and other public figures for personalized shout-outs.

Request a Halloween message on Cameo from creepy characters and beloved actors from Halloween movies, including Pennywise, Mark Patton (Jesse from Freddy's Revenge), Danielle Harris (from Halloween) and Kimberly J. Brown (from Halloweentown).

Something tells me Cameo will curate a Halloween landing page closer to October 31 with more creators!

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Sorry, No Candy This Year

COVID-19 Halloween Signs:

🎃 Sorry, No Treats Here - Select and print out some of these Brisbane Kids Halloween printables in full color.

🎃 Sorry, No Candy Here - Treat you next year! - Cherry Hill Township

🎃 No Trick or Treating Sign Free Download - These can be used any year, not just during COVID-19!

🎃 Free Printable Covid-19 Halloween Signs - Halloween Hand Sanitizer Sign, Halloween Wait Here Sign, No Knocking Sign, No Trick Or Treating Sign, One Group At A Time Sign, Please Take One Sign, Wear A Mask Sign

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Trick Or Treat Social Distancing Sign

COVID-19 Halloween Tips:

🎃 How Kids Can Halloween and Avoid COVID-19

🎃 Accessible/CURB-SIDE trick-or-treating solution - In a COVID-19 recovery-focused Canada, our CURB-SIDE trick-or-treating solution helps all families look forward to a safer Halloween.

🎃 Track or Treat: Protect yourself from public health frights | CDC

🎃 Parents Are Loving This Halloween Invention A Dad Created To Keep Kids Safer

🎃 Fun Social Distancing Halloween Ideas - Red Ted Art

Celebrations Are Different This Year And That's Ok!

Guest Post by Dr. Christina Johns

This Halloween will be a unique one for kids and parents, with concerns about COVID-19 piled on top of the usual warnings about safety. And with Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, parents may feel under pressure to make this year a Halloween to remember.

But there are some simple things we can do to help kids forget we're still in a pandemic and have safe and COVID-free fun at the same time.

1. Keep up your good COVID-19 habits: avoiding large gatherings, keeping a distance of six feet from others, wearing medical masks or cloth face coverings and washing hands often must continue as it has for the last six months. Remember: a costume mask is not a substitute for a medical mask or cloth face covering.

Monster, May I?

2. Virtual costume parties and parades: Outdoor costume parades where you can wear medical or cloth masks and practice good social distancing are perfectly safe. You can also take and share photos with friends and turn them into crafts to do at home.

3. Trick or treating: Kids naturally cluster as they go door to door, which poses the greatest potential exposure to COVID so if you are trick or treating, parents need to strictly enforce social distancing, especially among kids who aren’t normally together. Of course, washing hands or using hand sanitizer before and after trick-or-treating is a must.

4. Handing out candy: If you hand out treats to ghosts and goblins who appear at your door, don’t let kids dig their hands into your bowl of candy, which is another potential contact point for COVID. Instead, pitch individual treats into their bags or line up individually prepacked treat bags on a table outside. Don't forget to wear your own mask and perform regular hand hygiene yourself!

A Unique Halloween With 6 Feet In Between

5. What to do with candy that comes home: even if your child collects treats from a few well-known neighbors who haven’t tested positive for COVID, you may still want to wipe the candy down or let it sit for a couple days before your child eats it. One parent I know is even replacing her kids’ candy with bags she is buying herself!

What CAN kids do to keep up the fun this year?

1. Spooky movie night: choose your favorite and create a watch party over Zoom or facetime with family and friends!

2. Backyard candy scavenger hunt: take a page from the Easter Bunny and hide treats around the yard and hunt them down – after dark with flashlights will make it even more challenging and scary!

3. Decorate pumpkins: This is one Halloween tradition that's as safe and fun as ever.

4. Halloween-themed meal: take dinner to the next level by decorating a pizza with Halloween-shaped toppings, making candy apples on a stick, or peeling tangerine pumpkins (stick a thin slice of celery on top to look like a stem). Make sure the treats are not choking hazards if you have children under age 3.

'Twas The Week Before Halloween

Things to avoid:

1. Indoor events, like haunted houses: Anything indoors and involving groups of people is also a potential exposure to COVID, especially when those events involve shouting and screaming (in fun!) because of a good scare. An outdoor haunted forest or corn maze may be a better option, as long as medical masks or cloth face coverings are used, and physical distancing and one-way walk through are enforced.

2. Sharing/trading candy: This kind of exchange only encourages transmission of germs between people. Especially smart to avoid this year.

Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic is a chance for you and your children to get creative, and maybe even invent some new traditions for your family! It's also a great opportunity to model flexibility and a positive spirit. If you're excited and make it fun, your kids will enjoy it, too.

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Dr. Christina Johns is Sr. Medical Advisor for PM Pediatrics and a practicing pediatric urgent care physician. Follow her at @drcjohns on Twitter.

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The Year Without Halloween

More Covid-19 Halloween Tips:

🎃 DIY Ideas for Celebrating Quarantine-O-Ween (Halloween)

🎃 Accessible/CURB-SIDE trick-or-treating solution - In a COVID-19 recovery-focused Canada, our CURB-SIDE trick-or-treating solution helps all families look forward to a safer Halloween.

🎃 Track or Treat: Protect yourself from public health frights that might be lurking in your neighborhood!

🎃 Prepare your house for a spooky and safe Halloween

🎃 Parents Are Loving This Halloween Invention A Dad Created To Keep Kids Safer

🎃 Fun Social Distancing Halloween Ideas - Red Ted Art

🎃 Check out Amazon for Halloween themed masks

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Quarantine Halloween Coloring Book

More Free Printables, Coloring Pages, Activities and Crafts:

🎃 March 11th Special Days - Featuring Frankenstein Freebies!

🎃 March 26th Special Days - Featuring Ghost Freebies!

🎃 April 17th Special Days - Featuring 2Bat Freebies!

🎃 June 8th Special Days - Featuring Ghostbusters Freebies!

🎃 July 7th Special Days - National Zombie Day!

🎃 August 30th Special Days - Featuring Frankenstein Freebies!

🎃 October 13th Special Days - Featuring Zombie Freebies!

🎃 October 26th Special Days - Featuring Pumpkin Freebies!

🎃 October 31st Special Days - Featuring Halloween Freebies!

🎃 November 1st Special Days - Featuring Day of the Dead Freebies!

🎃 Check out Amazon for Halloween Covid-19 books to read

Take One/Out of Candy