As a kid, Halloween was always a big celebration at school and in my community. But as I’ve grown older, I find myself less and less interested in the trick-or-treating aspect of Halloween. Although I never got tired of dressing up in a costume for fun, there is something magical about being someone different and stepping into their shoes and character for a day. Last year, however, many gatherings, celebrations, and events were cancelled due to the nature of COVID-19. As more restrictions were implemented by Dr. Bonnie Henry, holidays such as Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas were affected. As Halloween quickly approaches, it will be interesting to see if history repeats itself, or if this year will be better now that more people are vaccinated.
Currently, trick-or-treating has become more complicated as the question remains whether it is safe or not to go trick-or-treating with COVID-19 still in the air. In my opinion, the pandemic raises more concern than the usual pre-COVID-19 safety concerns, such as kids getting sick from contaminated treats or hurt by harmful things being added to candy. Now, because the variants are so easy to catch, I think that trick-or-treating during the pandemic is still too risky. I find it surprising that parents are willing to take their kids trick-or-treating despite the pandemic. This year, I would not feel safe going door-to-door during a continued pandemic, asking strangers for candy. Nor would I feel comfortable giving out candy to little kids, or adults for that matter, because I want to keep the community safe.
Having said that, the dressing-up aspect is a fun and creative process that is unique to each individual. And, as I said before, it is nice to frolic around pretending to be your favourite character or creature and not be looked upon strangely by the people around you (hopefully). I think that people who put in the effort to make nice costumes should be able to get recognition for their efforts and be celebrated for their individuality, including adults.
But here’s the issue I have with participating in trick-or-treating during the pandemic. If a person is covering their face with a non-medical mask, it can make it harder to identify the costume, especially if face makeup is part of the ensemble. And for that matter, is it even realistic to expect kids and adults to keep their masks on when they are munching on their loot along the way? The efforts it would take to keep Halloween safe may be at best tedious when trying to be mindful of keeping the community safe.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to progress, it is uncertain whether this year will be able to do the celebration justice. Last Halloween was basically cancelled due to the implementation of social distancing in Canada, and people were staying in their respective household bubbles. But now that more people are fully vaccinated and expanding their social circles, it will be interesting to see what will happen this year and how many people will feel comfortable and safe participating in Halloween.
But still, if Halloween is a favourite celebration, then it is worthwhile to celebrate it. Just celebrate it in a safe way. Personally, I wouldn’t mind dressing up as a Star Wars character and buying a box of candy to treat myself. Halloween can still be fun and engaging by putting together unique costumes and hanging out with friends and families. Besides, age should never be a factor when candy is involved.
Image: Danyka Van Santen/The Cascade
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.
