Alternatives to typical Halloween activities

With silly costumes, spooky movies and sweet treats, Halloween holds a special place in many people’s hearts. As a result of the social distancing measures mandated to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, highlights has compiled a list of alternative ways to celebrate the holiday. With the assistance of this guide, Halloween can still be celebrated despite the current circumstances.

Decorations

Bright orange jack-o’-lanterns pave the trail to your front door. You open and take a peek inside only to be greeted by a haunting scene. Black cats, purple witch hats and white cobwebs cover the house to the brim. Skeletons sitting on the couch and bat-themed garlands hang from the ceiling as you inhale the nostalgic scent of pumpkin spice. All serve as a constant reminder of the reasons why you enjoy this time of year.

In preparations for the holiday and getting into the spirit of Halloween, decorating your house is a fun activity. If decorations are too expensive to buy, a good alternative is to watch DIY tutorials and make these accessories at home. Construction paper can go a long way when it comes to DIYs. You can make bats, pumpkins and just about anything spooky with a pair of scissors. Decorating your house with a specific theme, such as Hocus Pocus, is also a fun way to set up a challenge for oneself this Halloween.

Movies 

Spending time at home also means there is extra time to watch spooky movies. In order to get into the Halloween spirit this holiday season, a Halloween Movie Marathon is greatly recommended. The following is a list of some of the highlights staff’s favorite Halloween films: Casper, Ghostbusters, Corpse Bride, Monster House, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular. Additionally, these movies can be watched virtually with friends and family through watch party applications, such as Metastream, which is available for all streaming applications, and Netflix Party, which is only used for Netflix.

Trick-or-Treating Alternative

Upset about not being able to go out and get candy? Don’t worry! You could organize a neighborhood Trick-or Treat Driveway Table. Decorate tables in the driveway with some DIY decorations and hand out individual goodie bags. This will minimize contact while showcasing great decorating skills. Trunk-or-Treating is another alternative to getting candy where people set up their cars with an open trunk as if it were a booth. Decorate vehicles and hold this event in a private area. Kids can go trick-or-treating from car to car while minimizing contact and keeping a distance.

Haunted House Solution

For those who are not interested in Trick-or-Treating and prefer a scarier alternative with jump scares and haunting sights, a Drive-Thru Haunted House is the way to go. These events were designed with social distancing in mind. There will be contact free check-ins by license plates, terrifying monsters and unexpected surprises throughout the drive. Attending these new haunted houses while maintaining zero contact is a great solution to staying safe and feeling the adrenaline brought by Halloween scares. The following is a list of some drive-thru haunted houses here in Florida:

• “Horrorland” in Miramar Regional Park, 16801 Miramar Parkway. The experience will be open Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. It features about 60-80 performers and seven different roads, each with a different horror-filled theme.
• “The Haunted Road” in East Orlando, 15239 Lake Pickett Rd. The experience will run from Sept. 25 to Nov. 7. This attraction offers three different events: Main Night Event, Daytime Family Friendly Event and Unrestricted 18+ Years Event.

Pumpkin Patch

If the harvest part of Halloween is something you enjoy more than the scares and candy, then a Pumpkin Patch is the place to go. Reservations at pumpkin patches are available to make across Miami, including at public parks and farms, which occur every year. Each of these locations are opening  with new safety precautions by having a limited capacity, enforcing masks and encouraging social distancing. Some Pumpkin Patch locations that are nearby include Coral Gables’ Pittman Park and Coconut Grove’s Regatta Park. Some distant Pumpkin Patches are located in Homestead on Pinto’s Farm and The Little Farm.

An Act of Kindness

During these unprecedented times, self-isolation can be more difficult for certain individuals to handle mentally, especially when exposure to family and friends is now more limited than ever. Thus, a small act that demonstrates sympathy is now needed more than ever for some. “You’ve been Boo’d” is a safe way to spread Halloween cheer with a random act of kindness. You can do this by dropping off goody bags, candy or other treats at your neighbor’s doorstep.