Unique ways to celebrate Halloween, even if it's not in-person

Halloween celebrations will be different in 2020. A global pandemic has made activities like trick-or-treating risky, and many parents figure to keep kids home this Halloween.

It may be hard to envision a Halloween without kids getting together as they go from house to house in search of candy. But celebrants should know that there's still fun to be had this Halloween, even if that fun is not in-person with fellow vampires, witches and pirates.

This Halloween can be as unique as celebrants are willing to make it. The following are some fun ways to celebrate a Halloween that may feature little in-person interactions with other costumed ghouls and goblins.

· Get dressed up for video chats. While social distancing measures may discourage large gatherings, such measures aren't discouraging people from wearing costumes this Halloween. Parents can organize a group Zoom call with their children's classmates, encouraging everyone on the call, including other moms and dads, to wear their costumes.

· Create a Halloween candy hunt. Take a cue from Easter celebrations and organize a Halloween candy hunt in the backyard. Kids can get dressed up and search the property for all the usual spoils of Halloween. Parents of school-aged children can even add a twist by making the Halloween candy search a scavenger hunt, complete with clues and candies hidden in decorative scarecrows and jack-o'-lanterns.

· Throw a hospital hero-themed Halloween party. Traditional Halloween masks don't typically cover up noses or mouths, which renders them ineffective protection against COVID-19. A party that both honors local hospital workers while celebrating the work they do can make for a fun way to get together this Halloween. Organizers can encourage participants to dress up as doctors, nurses, orderlies, and other hospital workers, making sure each attendee wears a mask that covers their nose and mouth and fits snugly onto their face. Each attendee also can provide a small donation that can go toward purchasing meals for local hospital workers.

· Bake your own Halloween treats. If kids won't be going door-to-door this Halloween, parents can organize holiday-themed baking sessions to whip up some homemade treats for youngsters. Encourage participants to decorate baked goods with Halloween colors and imagery, and then drop off the finished products at each other's homes. Treats can then be opened and enjoyed over a Zoom call that includes all participants.

Halloween celebrations may be different this year, but they can still be fun for everyone.