Corona meant Halloween traditions had to change

Posted November 2020

By Natalie Hebert

Cub Reporter

Halloween 2020 took on a new fright, but Oregonians found interesting ways to give out candy, visit neighbors, and celebrate Halloween safely.

Because of Covid and CDC’s requirements, Halloween was questionable. Most of the usual Halloween festivities were canceled or not open to large groups. The regular “trick or treat'' tradition was questionable. Several places still did trick or treating, like Trout Creek Bible Camp. Yet, the Oregon Health Authority recommended to The Oregonian not to. It was a high risk for getting the virus.

Was Halloween or trick or treating still a thing in 2020?

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while not out-right asking folks to skip all Halloween activities, offers ideas for making trick-or-treating safer, including using a station for distributing pre-bagged treats and making sure you keep at least six feet away from anyone outside your household,” stated The Oregonian in September. “Wear a cloth mask over your mouth and nose, since Halloween masks will not help prevent the spread of the coronavirus”

The CDC also suggested that instead of going out for candy, trick or treaters should do a costume walk. Some Oregonians made candy chutes from PVC pipe for a safe trick or treating experience. Others created outdoor decorations that passed out candy. There was also drive by trick or treating events, one of them called “Halloween on Franklin” that happened in Vancouver on the Oct. 30. Halloween on Franklin Street is a yearly tradition that normally has 300 trick or treaters come to look at the decorations and get candy.

This year, drive-through was popular where trick or treaters saw the decorations safely from their cars. The 2020 “Halloween on Franklin” allowed a few trick or treaters to walk, but required them to social distance, use hand sanitizer, and to wear a mask—a protective mask, that is. If parents were not okay with their kids receiving candy through a PVC chute, there was a costumed grave digger at one house that shoveled the candy through car windows. Volleyball coach Janeen Rainey took her kids trick or treating safely within her own neighborhood.

“My kids went trick or treating to a couple of nearby neighbors,” said Rainey. “Even though we didn't trick or treat at as many houses as last year, my kids still had a good time. My kids are one and four, so going to a few houses was enough to make them happy.”

Rainey also stayed at home and handed out candy.

“This year was different, but we made the best of it and had a lot of fun,” said Rainey. “We did more activities at home, including a glow in the dark scavenger hunt. Everyone had a good time.”

AP Psych and global studies teacher Scott Cashdollar's family Halloween tradition also changed this year. The Cashdollar family took precautions, making sure they didn’t spread the virus to others. Cashdollar has a long driveway, and he thought that the trick or treaters might not walk up to the door for candy, so he had to improvise.

“My family and I sat in our driveway and had dinner around a fire while we waited for trick or treaters,” said Cashdollar. “We usually just stay inside and my wife hands out candy. Although it was different, we made sure it was still fun.”