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While the CDC is advising against trick-or-treating, some parents are still looking for safe ways to celebrate Halloween with their kids. From candy chutes to clotheslines, the internet is brimming with ideas for socially-distant cand handouts that help you maintain at least 6 ft. of space.
Craft a candy chute —When
dad Andrew posted this photo of a 6-foot-long orange and black candy chute that he attached to his railing, when trick-or -treaters call, simply put a piece of candy in at the top of the PVC or cardboard chute and let them catch it in their candy bags while they wait—at a safe distance—at the bottom. It’s advised that you still wear a mask and be sure to wear and continuously replace latex gloves often to be extra cautious. 2. Candy on a stick—Denver mom Wendy Reeves Winter didn't want to miss out on the parade of cute kids in costumes, so she came up with the ingenious idea to stick candy in her lawn à la Willy Wonka. Simply tape candy to sticks and put them throughout the yard for kids to come and grab on their own. “I still want to hang out on my porch and see everyone’s cute costumes. But no, I don’t want a bunch of kids ringing my doorbell and fishing in my bowl for candy,” she says. “Kids can come by and get candy from a safe distance and I’ll get to smile and wave from my front porch. Win-win.” Winter says you can use any type of stick, including popsicle sticks, plastic spoons, glow sticks, and plastic straws, but warns against putting the candy out too early and attracting squirrels before the kiddos arrive. 3. String a clothesline—Halloween blogger plans to rig a clothesline with goodie bags and full-sized candy bars clipped to the line, sending each out piece-by-piece. “The candy will go from the bag to the clothespin, with my mask on and gloves on, of course. The tots tug the treat off the line without touching anything else, and it will be in the open air instead of coming to the front door,” he writes. “And yes, I'll be prepared if kids take more than one—because that's the Halloween spirit!” 4. A line of twine—In a similar idea to the clothesline, Los Angeles mom Beth is taking more of a trusting approach to the Halloween tradition b y decorating her fence in holiday decor and adding a length of twine with small pieces of candy clothes pinned for kids to grab as they come by. Another idea along these lines would be to hang bags or pieces of candy from a tree or decorate a bush at your front door with treats. 5. Witchy handout—Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, this is the perfect year to get into character and be the neighborhood witch when you hand out candy. A large toy cauldron can be filled with candy and handed out with an extra-long ladle. One friend is using a pool skimmer that she's spray-painting black. Another friend plans to use a fruit picker that's she'll alter by covering the tines with modeling clay and electrical tape. Either tool will work to stir, scoop, and hand out candy from a safe distance. 6. Goodie bag stations—Of course, sometimes simplicity is the best. A treat table set up with goodie bags, or Dixie cups filled with candy, in your yard or driveway is an easy and straightforward option. Get your neighbors on board so kids can go from table-to-table collecting their treats. It’ll feel almost just like Halloween in days past, and you might find it such an easy way to hand out candy that you keep doing these years after this pandemic is a distant memory. —7. Use the Mail Slot—If you’re lucky enough to have a mail slot, it’s a great way to pass out pre-packaged candy while maintaining a good distance. Trick-or-treaters can knock and you can pass a small bag of wrapped candies out of the mail slot with minimal contact. If you want to get handy, you can even fashion a small platform on the outside of your mail slot, so the candy doesn’t fall to the ground. —8. Arrange a Drive-thru Candy Station—An alternative to traditional trick-or-treating is to set up a drive-thru candy station. In this set-up, trick-or-treaters (or their parents) can pull up to the end of your driveway and you can hand them candy through a cracked window. While easy in theory, this might require some coordination as a neighborhood-wide event. 9. Use a Grabber Tool or Tongs—An excellent way to pass out Halloween candy without physical contact is to use a grabber tool. While grabber tools are often used for picking up litter, they can be used for many purposes. Using a clean, new grabber, you can pick up candy and pass it to trick-or-treaters from several feet away. If you don’t have a grabber tool, sanitize a set of grill or kitchen tongs, and try those. 10. Set Up a Self-Serve Candy Station—An alternative to passing out candy is to set up a self-serve candy station. Here’s how: Place a table in your front yard or driveway and dress it up with Halloween décor. Fill individual baggies with wrapped Halloween candies. Arrange tied/sealed baggies on the table. Allow trick-ortreaters to grab a bag while you greet and observe from a safe distance. If all else fails, don’t judge yourself too harshly if you do what Rena Strober, a mom and musician from Los Angeles plans to. Her daughter is only three, so she plans to skip most of the Halloween festivities and focus on some much-needed self-care. “I’m just eating all the candy myself in front of the TV while I binge watch Say Yes to the Dress,” says Strober. YESWECANNEWSPAPER.COM