Tips for a Safe Trunk or Treat During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID messed up a lot of things. Easter went by, and it didn't feel like it. Independence Day went by, and nobody had the spirit for it. All of the traditions and events this year have left us with fogged and unsettling memories. And, in some cases, no memories at all. Halloween is coming up, and the CDC suggested it may not be in the traditional way, but something safer like Trunk or Treat is still doable. Right?

Plus, this new precautionary way of celebrating Halloween is going to assist all the adults working from home. This year, they need not take a break from their mid-century desks only to spend it on cleaning and decorating the entire house. In comparison to that, a trunk is too small and too easy to clean, maintain, and decorate even. It might even bring an edge of excitement with a newer batch of ideas to execute.

Of course, precautions are necessary. And that's what we will analyze here, i.e., how to make Trunk or Treat during COVID-19 safer. But before we head onto the essence, let's get a firm grasp on the concept of the Trunk or Treat.

Trunk or Treat – The Only Option a Year 

To begin with, Trunk or Treat refers to a unique way of celebrating Halloween wherein adults participate in the traditional trick or treat activity and modify it to make it more convenient and fun for kids. The adults band up together and take their cars to the ground and parks. They decorate their trunks in the typical Halloween style. Sometimes styling them into monster mouths and sometimes pirate ships, depending on their preferences. It may involve keeping candy inside the trunks, such that it's challenging for kids to acquire them.

Usually, only those parents and families would do this who consider the houses in their vicinity to be too far apart. Or if they feel their locality is unsafe for children to go out and seek candies alone. Over time, some teenagers and parents also found it a cool and different method of celebrating Halloween and eventually became fond of it.

But in today's time, it is more of an only fun option left rather than an alternative or a different method. CDC has declared the traditional way of trick or treat, i.e., going door to door and collecting candies as one of the most high-risk activities of spreading the coronavirus. And so, that leaves us with only one, relatively less risky method of having fun at Halloween, i.e., Trunk or Treat.

To make this experience even safer, let's have a look at a few measures that you can take.

Measures to Make it Safer During the Pandemic 

Since you will be coming in contact with several individuals, Trunk or Treat may still expose you and your loved ones to a lot of COVID danger. Hence, care and precautions are a must. Below, you will find some handy ways of planning this event in a much safer way:

1. Costume Care

Perhaps, the first step to protect your child from catching the coronavirus is to dress him up in a covered costume. Ensure that you choose a costume that does not expose parts of their skin to the open air. Simultaneously, ensure that the outfit does not get too suffocating for the child. Apply the same to yourself. Avoid including props that will encourage young minds to get too close to others or interact with others excessively, such as a toy sword or knife. Their sudden bursts of imagination may cost you a lot later on. Also, do not forget to disinfect the costume before putting it on.

2. Incorporate Masks in the Look

Encourage children to dress up more like doctors, nurses, or creepy patient zombies so that their costume includes the surgical mask. If your kid happens to be too trendy and doesn't deem that fit, you can even make use of the colorful and patterned surgical masks available. We're sure you'll be able to get one that goes decently with your kid's favorite character from the trending Halloween movies of the present times. Remember, whatever it takes, don't compromise on the mask! It's the shield!

With that said, do not permit costumes with plastic character masks. They can easily catch harmful germs.

3. Sanitize Regularly

Another measure that you, by now, may as well be taking out of habit is sanitization. Before the celebration, after the celebration, and during the celebration, keep sanitizing your hands. Keep asking your family, friends, and visitors to sanitize their hands too. If they haven't got a good sanitizer, provide them with one. Also, keep disinfecting your trunk frequently during the event.

4. Be on Your Guard 

Just because you're out to have some fun doesn't mean coronavirus will leave you alone. And so, you need to keep your guard up. Keep your surroundings and visitors under observation. If someone coughs or shows even the slightest symptoms of being sick, then politely send them back home. Ensure that everyone follows the SOPs.

Moreover, clean and disinfect your car thoroughly and only then decorate it. Offer candies to children in properly packed boxes so that the virus doesn't spread as children try to exchange or trade their loot with others.