In an era of increased homestay for children, their hopes of going door-to-door, celebrating Halloween, have been dashed. Due to the lack of in-person Halloween school parties and candy collection, parents must now think of creative ways to satisfy their children’s needs of dressing up and trick-or-treating.

Although many communities and school districts, such as District 128, are preparing a shift to hybrid learning, many parents still have concerns for their family’s health. Their worries, however, extend past the academic situation and into the parties and increased interaction the upcoming holiday season entails.

“It’s not right. When you’ve got cases increasing like they are now, what good could partying and trick-or-treating possibly bring,” Vinay Bhave, a Vernon Hills father of a middle school student, said.

The parents of younger kids, who were more likely to have gone trick-or-treating, share a similar opinion. 

“There’s no way we’re letting them go out. We’ll buy them candy, and they can party at home, but they aren’t going around the block knocking on doors,” Amy Dillon, a Vernon Hills mother of two elementary school children, said.

Contrary to the approach of parents, some high schoolers are still planning to host Halloween parties. 

“[It’s] pretty safe to host small gatherings as long as you’re certain these people haven’t recently been in crowded places,” David Jun (12) said.

This view was agreed upon by Arunabh Ganguli (10), a student at Stevenson High School.

“Although I understand the potential negative consequences of partying, I’ve made sure that people haven’t been in any contact with someone who has tested positive,” Ganguli said. “High school students are more responsible and aware of who they’ve contacted than younger children.”

Alternatively, both Bhave and Dillon said that they would have their kids do treasure hunts at home, knock on doors within the house for candy or play games with their immediate family. 

“As the major holiday season fast approaches, it is crucial that we remain considerate and responsible citizens,” Dillon said.