Online neighborhood groups are filled with Halloween protest post. Has Halloween really been canceled? It is not. Like everything else this year, Halloween will look different from usual. Large groups are still not allowed, and this will dramatically affect parties and trick-or-treating. We posed the question to our readers and received a wide range of responses, along with some great suggestions on how to keep the magic alive.

I think this year is for decorations! Let people walk or drive by and enjoy whatever spooky or fun creations you can put together.

I’m so sad, I love Halloween and I love trick-or-treating with my kids and hanging out with other families and friends. I just cannot do it in good conscience with COVID. I personally am going to decorate my front yard, put on a costume and eat and drink with my family on Halloween!

How great would it be if neighborhoods decorated their yards for people to drive through like during Christmas time.

If my son wants to trick-or-treat I am inclined to let him. Maybe have hand sanitizers out on tables so people can sanitize before taking candy.

I won’t protest the cancellation of Halloween because you cannot cancel Halloween. I will however protect your lives by making Halloween safe and fun for my family AND YOURS by staying home.

We’ve been hearing from a lot of families about their plans this year. A big one has been to set up an outside area that has interactive elements (lights, spooky stuff) so people can walk by.

A lot of parents said they are going to just give candy to their children as they walk around.

We’re excited to have been invited to some of these front yards. It’s a new experience for us! Happily Ever After

We’re thinking about having a few specific houses to visit – neighbors we know are comfortable with it, friends from kids’ preschool, etc. our kids are young and they’d be happy just to visit a few houses.

I think it would be very easy to do socially distant trick or treating if the people giving out candy don’t mind being outdoors and setting up a table or something like that. No ringing doorbells.

If my son wants to trick or treat that’s fine.

We’re having a very small outdoor gathering at our friends house, 3 families. The kids will hunt for candy Easter egg style.

If people are willing to hand out candy, we will be there with kids in costume! They’ve been through too much and everyone being careful outdoors with masks on can’t be worse than me having to take them grocery shopping on a regular basis. Which I have to do, because they’re 6 year old twins.

We plan to set up a Halloween table in our driveway for a COVID-appropriate experience.