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Halloween is foolish but it's one event that lasts for about 3 hours.
Haha you should talk to my neighbors. They love Halloween and have had their whole house, inside and outside decorated since the beginning of September. I don't just mean a few cobwebs and lights either -- they have skeletons, witches, banners, costumed critters, the whole deal.
I don't really mind it as it's a bit of brightness in the midst of this terrible year. It is kind of fun as I never know what they'll add next to it when I step outside every morning to take the dog for a walk.
I agree that everyone's entitled to embrace their own holidays as much or as little as they want. My neighbors go cray cray for Halloween and I on the flip side can't be left alone in @Home or Home Goods during the Christmas season or I'll rack up thousands of dollars in festive decor bills.
Haha you should talk to my neighbors. They love Halloween and have had their whole house, inside and outside decorated since the beginning of September. I don't just mean a few cobwebs and lights either -- they have skeletons, witches, banners, costumed critters, the whole deal.
I don't really mind it as it's a bit of brightness in the midst of this terrible year. It is kind of fun as I never know what they'll add next to it when I step outside every morning to take the dog for a walk.
I agree that everyone's entitled to embrace their own holidays as much or as little as they want. My neighbors go cray cray for Halloween and I on the flip side can't be left alone in @Home or Home Goods during the Christmas season or I'll rack up thousands of dollars in festive decor bills.
We got a house here in Heritage everyone goes to at Halloween as they go ****s out decorating it. Last year (or maybe two years ago) the guy built a pirate ship off the front of his house complete with fireable compression cannons and "walk the plank slides". My son was obsessed with it.
Then a little further down live Clark and Ellen Griswold where every square inch of their yard and house is covered in blow up XMas decorations, lights, candy canes etc etc etc etc.
Impressive to see, but I'd rather have a filling drilled without novacane than go through that effort.
One reason I have always loved Halloween is that it's such a great neighborhood holiday. How often do we really get out and interact with all our neighbors these days? I loved that aspect when my kids were little — just walking around the neighborhood with them, seeing the other neighbors doing the same. It's such a nice way to connect.
I think you just like to play the "hey look at me, I'm different" card.
Yeah nope
Not sure where you went "away" but one who does travel internationally realizes we may have different nuances but in the end we are all influenced one way or another by someone who has more power than we. Nice to bash the US for turning Christmas into a retail holiday, yet that is what it is in many countries. Heck I was in London last October and they were already putting up decorations in preparation for their black Friday.
Am pretty sure it started here. Before moving back would get stick from Brit, Aussie and Euro friends about Black Friday videos and people working on national holidays for "Christmas" shopping, not America's proudest moments.
Had a lot of fun at Halloween parties overseas, I didn't see the candy thing no way as crazy there.
Agree with you re the influence thing, it is remarkably deep and ubiquitous. More so if one has ever gone years without watching TV and restarting it here.
The Town of Chapel Hill just sent out this guidance for Halloween. Seems like good advice:
Quote:
Orange County Health Department Offers Guidance on Celebrating Halloween Safely During a Pandemic
Halloween is typically celebrated in ways that include prolonged and repeated contact with non-household members. This year, because of COVID-19, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives.
Post Date: 10/01/2020 2:36 PM
ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTNews from Orange County Health Department
Halloween is typically celebrated in ways that include prolonged and repeated contact with non-household members. This year, because of COVID-19, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives.
The Orange County Health Department is offering the following guidance on how to celebrate Halloween without increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. This guidance discourages traditional trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating where treats are handed to children or children take candy from a shared bucket.
“Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses,” Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart said. “In-person Halloween festivities, and traditions such as trick-or-treating, pose risks to participants. It is impossible to know who has COVID-19 or who has been exposed to someone with the virus, making it both advisable and necessary to protect yourself and others by choosing safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween.”
Wearing face coverings and staying at least six feet away from people who are not part of your household are two of the most effective ways to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Keep this in mind as you plan activities for Halloween. The Orange County Health Department offers the following guidance on how to celebrate Halloween during this pandemic.
Lower Risk Activities
These lower risk activities can be safe alternatives:
Carve or decorate pumpkins with members of your household and display them.
Carve or decorate pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends.
Decorate your house, apartment, or living space.
Do a Halloween scavenger hunt: Give children lists of Halloween-themed items to look for while admiring Halloween decorations on houses at a distance.
Have a virtual Halloween costume contest.
Have a Halloween movie night in your household.
Have a trick-or-treat search in a scavenger hunt style in or around your home with members of your household.
Moderate Risk Activities
Participate in one-way trick-or-treating. Line up individually wrapped goodie bags (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard) for families to grab and go while social distancing.
If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags.
Have a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade, with people distanced more than 6 feet apart.
Attend an outdoor costume party where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart.
A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because the costume mask may make it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
Go to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced and people can remain more than 6 feet apart.
If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised to lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
Visit pumpkin patches or orchards where hand sanitizer is used before touching pumpkins or picking apples, where mask use is enforced, and where people are able to maintain social distancing.
Have an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart.
If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised to lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cookouts.
High Risk Activities
Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus:
Traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door.
Trunk-or-treat events where treats are handed out from trunks of cars that are lined up in large parking lots.
Crowded costume parties that are held indoors.
Indoor haunted houses where people may be crowded together and screaming.
Hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household.
Use of alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors.
Rural fall festival not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19.
Because traditional trick-or-treating is a high risk activity, traveling to residential neighborhoods for the purpose of door-to-door activity is strongly discouraged.
The Town of Chapel Hill just sent out this guidance for Halloween. Seems like good advice:
I get it, and it's well intentioned, but by the same token Orange County schools are considering going back to in person classes for the students (in October, before Halloween).
At the end of the day it's this type of conflicting information that I think people struggle with (and ultimately lead to COVID-fatigue). On the one hand "health departments" say it's dangerous for kids to put on a mask underneath their costume and walk (outside) and pick up candy, however the same health departments say it's OK to open bars today where people will get drunk and drool all over each other.
Consistency is all I'm asking for. If this event that takes place once per year outside is dangerous than let's be sure to label everything outside the walls of one's own home as "dangerous".
And just for the record I have to clarify that I'm not anti-science, a virus denier, or someone who thinks this is a left wing conspiracy against the president - all I'm asking for is some common sense by all involved (parents, children, government) as well as a unified message.
I get it, and it's well intentioned, but by the same token Orange County schools are considering going back to in person classes for the students (in October, before Halloween).
At the end of the day it's this type of conflicting information that I think people struggle with (and ultimately lead to COVID-fatigue). On the one hand "health departments" say it's dangerous for kids to put on a mask underneath their costume and walk (outside) and pick up candy, however the same health departments say it's OK to open bars today where people will get drunk and drool all over each other.
Consistency is all I'm asking for. If this event that takes place once per year outside is dangerous than let's be sure to label everything outside the walls of one's own home as "dangerous".
And just for the record I have to clarify that I'm not anti-science, a virus denier, or someone who thinks this is a left wing conspiracy against the president - all I'm asking for is some common sense by all involved (parents, children, government) as well as a unified message.
I’m actually all of those things, but I also think it’s all Trump’s fault, anyone who refuses to wear a mask wants to kill the elderly, and everything in our country is broken and has been since 1619. I’ve decided to take both extremes and combine them into one ideology. Dare to be different.
I dont think cities should tell people what to do. Give them facts, maybe make recommendations, and let people make choices. It's not prison. If people dont want the risk stay home. If you dont mind the risks and want your kids to have some normalcy in their lives then take them out. Wear a mask if you want or dont do it at all. Again your choice. Im passing out candy by hand at the bottom of my driveway. Its your choice if you want to take it or not. For my sake I hope they do because I dont want candy in my house.
I dont think cities should tell people what to do. Give them facts, maybe make recommendations, and let people make choices. It's not prison. If people dont want the risk stay home. If you dont mind the risks and want your kids to have some normalcy in their lives then take them out. Wear a mask if you want or dont do it at all. Again your choice. Im passing out candy by hand at the bottom of my driveway. Its your choice if you want to take it or not. For my sake I hope they do because I dont want candy in my house.
I don't think they will try, as that's a losing proposition....especially with Halloween on a Saturday the last thing the police need is people calling them to report neighbor kids out trick or treating. If you don't want to participate, don't. Shut off your lights and put out a sign "no candy". In years past when I've run out of candy that's exactly what I've done...put out the sign at the entry point to your property. If you want to participate, go ahead and do it as safely as you can.
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. If you don't want to participate, don't. Shut off your lights and put out a sign "no candy". In years past when I've run out of candy that's exactly what I've done...put out the sign at the entry point to your property. If you want to participate, go ahead and do it as safely as you can.
