So we're guessing that October and Halloween 2020 is going to look a littttttle bit different this year thanks to COVID19! Sharing candy probably isn't going to happen (not that we're sad about that - your teeth will thank you!). Trick or treating probably won't happen (because you don't want to be going door to door, collecting treats as well as a side of coronavirus - and potentially spreading it to others). And with the recent surge in cases in Ontario, gatherings will probably have to remain within your small social circle.
Is that the end of it then? Well, we don't think so. There are ways you can still celebrate this wonderful season and keep yourself (and your teeth!) safe too. Here are some of the suggestions we've come up with:
👻 Watch some Halloween or horror films! Go for the classics, go for some foreign horror films (Popular movies, The Ring and Dark Water, after all were both Japanese movies before they were remade in English), check out some "best of horror" lists or if you're feeling for it, check out some "worst of horror" lists.
👻 What might be even scarier to watch nowadays - because we're kinddaaa living it - is maybe watching movies about pandemics and/or epidemics. There's Contagion, Pandemic, Outbreak, Blindness, I Am Legend, etc.
👻 Visit the Catacombes in Paris - virtually, of course! Apparently, the remains of about 6 million people are buried there, so that could be creepy.
👻 Do some virtual guided tours of haunted houses (if you dare 👻)
👻 Pumpkin Carving - You can do a spooky dental-design using these nifty stencils from the ADA. Also, you can totally save the seeds to roast and snack on during your movies 😉.
👻 Halloween Crafting - Here are 40 things you can do as a family!
👻 Learn the dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller - with everyone spending ample time at home, it's not like we don't have time, LOL!
👻 Fashion show of previous Halloween costumes - and post it to social media!
👻 Design and create your own costume - maybe for next year or just to show off on social media, LOL.
👻 Family scavenger hunt around the house, with Halloween-themed items - there are a bunch of non-candy treats you can hide around the house. For example, Halloween pencils, erasers, stickers, colouring books, etc. Or you can do general, un-themed treats - like gift cards to something fun (like the movies) or even some homemade 'coupons' that will get a person out of doing their least-favourite chore. We would recommend non-perishables, if you're going to hide snacks and treats - or have a master list of where everything is - so you don't end up with rotten snacks a year or two down the line!
👻 Deck the house with black and orange and other Halloween decorations. Or go for an 'Autumn' themed designs - with squashes as table centrepieces or using the gorgeous fall foliage around the house, etc
👻 Is it just us or has it been a lonnnnng time since ghost stories were a thing? Maybe it's time to bring them back! Set the mood at home with all the lights out - except for maybe a flashlight, add in some spooky background music and share some real or imagined ghost stories (the internet is a great source to get your spook on!)
👻 Go apple picking! LOL, ok, so we know it's neither spooky nor halloween-y, but apples are in season right now (so they are October-y!) - which means they're at their most delicious state! Once you have a huge stash of apples, experiment with them in different recipes. Bonus points if you can make them into some sort of Halloween-themed Apple thing (Oh, apparently, Halloween Apples are a thing in parts of Canada).
