Will there be Halloween this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Alexandria. The city and health department have recommended against any form of TOT - even with masks, social distancing and one-way TOT that the CDC provided guidelines on. We are not planning to have our kids go TOT but it seems the neighborhoods are gearing up for TOT. And DH seems to always have a (not unfounded) fear that our house will be egged or the screen door will be kicked in if we do not provide treats. So, my thought for now is for us to stay inside, set out goody bags on folding chairs spaced out on the lawn, provide plenty of hand sanitizer, and from time to time replenish the goody bags as they are taken. Does this sound reasonable?

So has the DC government. Or more specifically, they label it moderate risk. So, of course, I read it as "recommended against", but all the 2020 YOLO parents who cannot fathom their kids missing ONE Halloween, read it as "safely" (see the post above "moving forward" with "not-rocket-science decision" to "keep the [day of the dead] alive." "safely."

Same PP.
No, I don't think leaving goody bags on folding chairs outside sounds reasonable, simply because it's encouraging the "moderate risk" behavior that I would rather discourage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Alexandria. The city and health department have recommended against any form of TOT - even with masks, social distancing and one-way TOT that the CDC provided guidelines on. We are not planning to have our kids go TOT but it seems the neighborhoods are gearing up for TOT. And DH seems to always have a (not unfounded) fear that our house will be egged or the screen door will be kicked in if we do not provide treats. So, my thought for now is for us to stay inside, set out goody bags on folding chairs spaced out on the lawn, provide plenty of hand sanitizer, and from time to time replenish the goody bags as they are taken. Does this sound reasonable?

So has the DC government. Or more specifically, they label it moderate risk. So, of course, I read it as "recommended against", but all the 2020 YOLO parents who cannot fathom their kids missing ONE Halloween, read it as "safely" (see the post above "moving forward" with "not-rocket-science decision" to "keep the [day of the dead] alive." "safely."

Same PP.
No, I don't think leaving goody bags on folding chairs outside sounds reasonable, simply because it's encouraging the "moderate risk" behavior that I would rather discourage.

Sorry - the term used by DC government is MEDIUM risk, not moderate. In case this matters to anyone.
https://coronavirus.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/page_content/attachments/COVID-19_DC_Health_%20Guidance_for_Halloween_2020.10.05_FINAL.pdf

[Anonymous]

What's the word in Del Ray, Alexandria? I am planning an at-home party just for my kids, but if the community is going to be doing ToT, i'll scrap those plans and join.

[Anonymous]

The Virginia Department of Health notes in interim guidance that setting out grab and go bags at the end of the driveway is a “moderate” risk activity.

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/2020-regional-news-releases/health-officials-recommend-celebrating-halloween-safely/

Wish DC/MD/VA would coordinate a bit more on this kind of guidance for consistency sake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia Department of Health notes in interim guidance that setting out grab and go bags at the end of the driveway is a “moderate” risk activity.

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/2020-regional-news-releases/health-officials-recommend-celebrating-halloween-safely/

Wish DC/MD/VA would coordinate a bit more on this kind of guidance for consistency sake.

Sounds like coordination to me! DC calls grab and go medium risk (link in PP), VA moderate.

[Anonymous]

So, a scavenger hunt is low risk, but grab and go candy is medium? Covid is not spread on scavenged items but is on candy wrappers?

Is there proof of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: So, a scavenger hunt is low risk, but grab and go candy is medium? Covid is not spread on scavenged items but is on candy wrappers?

Is there proof of this?

My understanding is that the scavenger hunt that is low risk is done among family members who live under the same roof.

[Anonymous]

I thought a bowl of candy might be medium risk because multiple kids might dig through the bowl at once. I think this list is nonsense. Wear masks, don't go into haunted houses, and stear clear of groups. I'll leave a bowl like I usually do and will take my kids around the neighborhood. We'll probably prioritize houses with a bowl out front. But we'll have butterfly nets with us for distanced trick or treating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: So, a scavenger hunt is low risk, but grab and go candy is medium? Covid is not spread on scavenged items but is on candy wrappers?

Is there proof of this?

My understanding is that the scavenger hunt that is low risk is done among family members who live under the same roof.

The VA document says something like, scavenger hunt at end of driveways while admiring halloween decorations. I mean, how does a pre wrapped bag of candy picked up off a long table or sidewalk, make it higher risk-since you are already at the neighbors driveway anyways?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought a bowl of candy might be medium risk because multiple kids might dig through the bowl at once. I think this list is nonsense. Wear masks, don't go into haunted houses, and stear clear of groups. I'll leave a bowl like I usually do and will take my kids around the neighborhood. We'll probably prioritize houses with a bowl out front. But we'll have butterfly nets with us for distanced trick or treating.

Butterfly nets!!!! How clever!!!!

[Anonymous]

Ugh a very close friend who we see for outside play dates asked us to come to ver for a small Halloween party inside with maybe another family, but usually one turns into two to three. I’m absolutely heartbroken I am on the fence about it. I need parties, I’m sorry I’m just a party person, but have been pretty strictly limiting everything since March. So is this a no? My heart is saying no, but part of my head is saying they are all practicing social distancing so maybe just once....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the hill I will die on this year. My 7 year old loves Halloween more than Christmas. She has been looking forward to this for months. She started talking about her costume in March.

That said, we want to be safe. We'll mask up and take plenty of hand sanitizer. Will stay away from other groups of trick or treaters.

I can't decide if I'm just gonna put ziploc baggies full of treats on a table near my front door while my kid and I are out or if I'm going to impale the treats on skewers and put them around my lawn? Either way, keep your lights off, haters, we're doing this!

There will be a lot of lights off.

[Anonymous]

I think my DD will have a couple of friends over for a distanced get-together. We have been super careful since March, but an outdoor party, with masks and distancing, seems ok. Cold but ok. My DD is slipping into depression and she needs a little fun in her otherwise sort of grim life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh a very close friend who we see for outside play dates asked us to come to ver for a small Halloween party inside with maybe another family, but usually one turns into two to three. I’m absolutely heartbroken I am on the fence about it. I need parties, I’m sorry I’m just a party person, but have been pretty strictly limiting everything since March. So is this a no? My heart is saying no, but part of my head is saying they are all practicing social distancing so maybe just once....

I think this is a no.
Rationalizing a yes because you've been good so far and you need parties, or you're a party person, is demented. "Maybe just once" isn't any better. Have you ever been around someone with an addictive disorder? I'm not saying that you're addicted to parties, lol, but I am saying that someone with a substance use disorder will come up with a very similar and similarly bad set of rationalizations for relapsing into drug use.

[Anonymous]

So travel soccer where everyone breathes on each other from a foot apart is ok, but distanced ToT with individually wrapped bags is not? Ok, we see your priorities here govt.

We'll be having kids ToT and will put out candy for the kids who come by.