This year Halloween activities have been put on hold due to COVID-19 and the spread of the virus. So even though Trick or Treating and other activities are not deemed appropriate by the CDC here is a list of approved activities (depending on the state).

Watch the Blue Moon 

A full moon on Halloween talks about creepy! This will be the first full moon on Halloween in 76 years. However, this full moon is even rarer. This will be the second full moon in the month of October. Normally the moon cycle takes a full month so there is only 1 full moon per month (12 a year). On rare occasions, there are two full moons in one month. The first full moon is called the harvest moon and the second is called a Blue Moon. So even though the moon won’t appear to be blue it is still a sight to see! 

Netflix movie party

Netflix has many many Halloween movies to watch this year! As always they have options for all! Can’t watch scary movies they have kid-approved ones. Want to be scared out of your mind they have the scariest movies out there. So invite friends over and have a small get together with just your close friends. Even though some friends aren’t we aren’t able to be around right now Netflix offers a feature where multiple people can watch the same movie at once through streaming. So we can all scream together. 

Zoom costume party

If you have a larger group of friends having a large get together is not the smartest idea. However, as we have all learned Zoom has been a great resource during this stay at home time. So if you miss being around your friends have a zoom costume party. Everyone can dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes. When we are wearing only sweatpants lately it’s nice to have a change in pace. So go all out and have some fun. Have a contest to see who can create the best costume from the waist up of course. 

Throw a Murder Mystery Party

Get a small group together and throw a small murder mystery party! Invite your friends over and have everyone dress and act in character. You can make it into a formal dinner party.  You’ll have a fun night pretending to be someone else and solving a murder. It’s like the board game clue but in real life! Amazon has kits to make the set up super easy or create your own! Either way, you will have a fun night forgetting about reality and being someone else. 

At home Halloween movie night or outdoor movie night socially distanced outside 

Get your family or roommates together to have fun at home on Halloween movie night. Use the bag of candy you were going to hand out to trick or treaters and have a fun snack for the night. Or make it different;  get a projector and find a plain clean white side of your house. Pick a movie and project it onto that wall. You can invite people over to watch the movie and socially distance from each other. Just make sure they bring a chair and a blanket. It might get cold on the ground with no blanket. 

Pumpkin Carving/ Pumpkin Painting  

A classic Halloween activity carving pumpkins is still fun for people of all ages. Kids love to help design their pumpkins and adults love to carve them! It’s always fun to see the kind of crazy and creative pumpkins people come up with. If your family has older children, have a contest to see who can come up with the most creative pumpkin carving/painting. it‘s a fun way to get everyone involved. The best part after you have finished carving pumpkins you can roast the seeds for a yummy snack. 

Trick or Treating (depending on your states policy)

Even though trick or treating isn’t recommended by the CDC, each state has released an official statement on what they believe is best for this Halloween season. However, the Halloween Costume Association (yes it is real) has come out with the best ways to be safe this Halloween. Safety this year, goes beyond the typical bring a flashlight and be home before midnight. It means following protocols and washing your hands. Check out their website for information on how you can be the safest house on the block! Halloween 2020 recommendations 

Make festive cocktails 

If you cant go to the bars you might as well bring one to you. Spend the night at home crafting some festive cocktails. It’s fun to make drinks that they most likely won’t be making at bars. Who knows maybe you’ll find a new drink combination you like.  Delish has so many amazing recipes definitely worth looking at. (The Drunken Peanut Butter Cups looks delicious)

Play Halloween games

No Halloween parties this year? No Problem. Don’t miss out on a chance to polish your Halloween game skills. Have a fun night of all the games at a typical Halloween party. Each person in your household can be in charge of one game. It gives everyone a chance to play the games fairly. It’s a fun chance to get competitive in a healthy way. Here are some games you can play at home: 

• Apple Bobbing

• Truth of Scare

• Scavenger Hunt 

• Halloween Charades 

• Corn hole

Make creepy desserts

Food that looks like something else is so much fun to create! Halloween desserts are just as fun. There are so many fun desserts you can make look super creepy. That is super easy to make. People of all ages love will love your sweet treats!  

For a night like Halloween when everyone is used to doing things outside of their homes, these are great alternatives to going out. Especially with Halloween being on Saturday. So put your costume on and grab get ready for an awesome night of ghouls, ghosts, and boos. Happy Halloween!