There has been much discussion in the daily updates for Covid-19 about Halloween. Dr. Bonnie Henry, at this point, is adamant it can go on. There have been guidelines written by the BC Centre for Disease Control and creative minds working throughout the community.
What will Halloween look like?
We have been thinking about how we can help the community enjoy the annual tradition in the most safe and responsible way.
First and foremost: If you are sick, do not trick or treat and do not hand out candy.
- Keep celebrations to those you live with or very, very small groups (think six). No big house parties this year.
- Celebrate outside – be careful with handsanitizer near open flames. It is very flammable.
- Follow the BC CDC’s guidelines for safer celebrations.
- This year, avoid using props that can cause coughing, such as smoke machines.
We are building a map and will continue you to add homes and displays to visit in the days leading up to Halloween weekend. We will continuously add to it throughout the month of October. If you click on the map (or the square with the arrow in the upper left), we have layers letting you know which homes are fun for all ages and which are spookier. There are definitely some favourites on here like the Haslers and the Tindales on Wellington.
Help build the Halloween neighbourhood map
From Sykes to Peters and many nooks and crannies in between, we see so many get in the spooky spirit of Halloween. LynnValleyLife will be putting together a Halloween Map. If you go over the top wth house decorations or know of a great display, please send it our way. We want families to enjoy the community spirit of Halloween – without door knocking – in the days around the holiday. You can use the from below or this link to add to the map. These don’t have to be your home, please add your neighbours homes too – if they have a display they want people to see it.
Tips for a symptom-free celebration
Trick-or-treating can be done safely by following these tips
- Respect homes by staying away if the lights are out.
- Keep to your local neighbourhood this year.
- Avoid trick-or-treating in busy areas or indoors (in places like malls) since there may not be enough space to distance. Indoor spaces may require a non-medical mask or face covering.
- Trick-or-treat in a small social group, stick to six people.
- Leave space between you and other groups to reduce crowding on stairs and sidewalks.
- Wash your hands before you go out, when you get home, and before eating treats.
- Keep hand sanitizer with you if eating treats on the go.
- You don’t need to clean every treat. You should instead wash your hands after handling treats and not touch your face.
Get creative handing out treats
- Get creative!
- Use tongs, a baking sheet or make a candy slide to give more space when handing out candy.
- Plan to hand out individual treats instead of offering a shared bowl.
- Only hand out sealed, pre-packaged treats.
- Wear a non-medical mask that covers your nose and mouth when handing out treats.
- Be more outside, than inside.
- If you can, stand outside your door to hand out treats. Then kids won’t need to touch the door or doorbell.
- If you’re unable to sit outside to hand out treats, clean and disinfect doorbells and knobs, handrails, and any other high touch surface often during the evening
- If you are decorating, avoid props that can cause coughing, such as smoke machines.
- Stick to the treats – not tricks.
Source: BC Centre for Disease Control
Looking for more?
There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.
