Some Families Making Adjustments As They Prepare For Halloween During Pandemic
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The decorations may be out but it's a Halloween season unlike any other. Coronavirus concerns have unmasked a new scary element for homes used to seeing crowds of kids every year.
"And the number one priority is safety. We're a really big house like hundreds and hundreds of kids come each year," Sierra Deblonk of Natomas, said. "We have to do things differently this year."
Tyler Pepper is doing something different. The college student is selling signs for homeowners that let people know that trick-or-treating is still happening safely at their house.
"I can't trick-or-treat anymore because I'm considered too old," Pepper said. "I love Halloween so much and it was a great pastime. I just want other kids to be able to experience that."
But, the experience isn't normal during the pandemic.
"They would have to, like, have some sort of system to where it's not direct contact," Sonam Kumar, Ashleen Lata's daughter, said.
California's latest guidelines for Halloween strongly discourage trick-or-treating.
READ: Californians 'Strongly Discouraged' From Trick-Or-Treating This Halloween
Some parents feel there could be pressure from their kids to fill up their pillowcases with candy.
"I do but, I think it's a great opportunity to talk with your kids and say every family makes these decisions for themselves and every family is different," Dena Davidson, who purchased a trick-or-treating sign from Pepper, said.
"I think there will be a lot of peer pressure because my kids want to go," Lata said. "They want to be all dressed up and they never missed Halloween."
Others aren't feeling the pressure at all as they prepare to have their kids safely trick-or-treat for the first time.
"As for the walking house to house, our kids never did that. We never really participated in that per our belief," Brian McGuire of Natomas, said. "But this year, we've decided to do that and they're actually very excited."
There's excitement in the air for some people we talked to as All Hallow's Eve creeps up on us. Others had some hesitation with doing trick-or-treating and are still debating about whether they'll participate. It also means getting creative to protect the little monsters running around looking for candy.
READ: Airbnb Bans One-Night Halloween Weekend Reservations To Stop Parties, Spread Of COVID
"We're going to do a zip line," Lata said. "With a bag of candy for kids like, you know, want to just trick-or-treat from the front."
"Open up our garage and have a family sort of event," Deblonk said. "Where we are just hanging out in the open air. If anyone walks by in costume or whatever, who would we be to deny them candy?"
Some are also going to have individual grab bag instead of the bowls of candy you'd typically see on Halloween.
The state is encouraging people to in-home or online activities instead of trick-or-treating.