In advance of the holiday season, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines aimed at potential holiday party hosts and attendees. In a Monday announcement, it defines low-risk gatherings as those that take place virtually or involve only a person’s immediate household. Outdoor gatherings are also recommended, and measures like mask-wearing and social distancing should also be exercised.
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CDC Issues Official Advice on How to Celebrate Halloween This Year
Even more specifically, the CDC recommends substituting potluck-style food for a bring-your-own scenario, and getting single-use plates and silverware.
Celebrations like Halloween trick-or-treating, Dia de los Muertos gatherings, Thanksgiving parades, and Black Friday shopping should also be avoided, with the CDC suggesting virtual alternatives. The CDC didn’t “cancel” trick-or-treating altogether, though. It recommends an Easter-egg-style hunt for candy around one’s own home as an alternative or “one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance.”
Decorating your home in spooky gear, dressing up, and going to a pumpkin patch are all safe Halloween activities and should keep the holiday as fun as possible in these unprecedented times. 