Lauren Pineda
Halloween’s just around the corner, and it breaks my heart to think that we aren’t going to get to celebrate everyone’s costumes or freak out in haunted houses like we normally do. Whether you’re going out to the bars or staying home to give out treats, COVID-19 has completely destroyed Halloween fun, and if you’re in the Los Angeles county, you can basically just overlook Halloween and move onto Thanksgiving.
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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health just released new guidelines that canceled trick-or-treating for 2020. Door to door trick-or-treating is now banned because, “it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors especially in neighborhoods that are popular with trick or treaters,” and it’s not just door to door events either.
LA county health officials also stated, “‘Trunk-or-treating’ events where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats are also not allowed,” and if you’re still trying to find alternatives to that, you can basically count those out too. Throwing house parties also not allowed as stated that, “Gatherings or parties with non-household members are not permitted, even if held outdoors, and neither are carnivals, festivals, live entertainment or haunted house attractions.”
According to CBS LA, their residents, “can participate in online parties and contests, such as costume or pumpkin carving; car parades that comply with public health guidance for vehicle-based parades; Halloween movie nights at drive-in theaters; Halloween-themed meals at outdoor restaurants; Halloween-themed art installations at an outdoor museum; and decorating homes and yards with Halloween-themed decorations,” essentially meaning that you’ll spend your Halloween on Zoom or in your car alone.
I understand there are safer alternatives put in place in California because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it seems like we won’t stray away too far from traditional ways of Halloween. We’re already wearing face masks and face coverings, and those are great opportunities to add to Halloween costumes. Plus, with social media, you can still show off your costume this year.
But nevertheless, I’m still bummed. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because of how fun it is, but I’ll take what I can get considering we just want to be over this pandemic.
