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 "The kids - everything has changed for them, so anything we can do
to keep that joy is important," said Schwimmer, 54, of
Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised
against traditional American Halloween activities that are
considered "high risk" for COVID-19 infection, including haunted
houses, hayrides with anyone not in your household and "direct
contact with trick-or-treaters."
Screaming - in glee or fright - is risky behavior during the Oct. 31
holiday that celebrates ghosts and goblins, the CDC noted,
advocating social distancing and wearing a mask to lower the risk of
spreading the respiratory virus.
Outright bans on trick or treating have been declared in cities as
large as Los Angeles and towns as small as Longmeadow,
Massachusetts.
Even the headless horseman's annual ride through the village of
Sleepy Hollow, New York has been canceled. The traditional event
commemorates Washington Irving's classic 200-year-old short story,
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
With U.S. coronavirus cases surging past 8 million, the Halloween
and Costume Association, working with the Harvard Global Health
Institute, released a color-coded COVID-19 map of the United States
to help parents determine the level of risk in their local
community.
The top danger zones on Halloween2020.org include North Dakota,
South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana and Idaho, where cases have spiked.
Health experts blame cooler temperatures, students returning to
schools, more relaxed social gatherings, infection mitigation
fatigue and the downplaying of mask-wearing by politicians including
President Donald Trump.
The White House said its Halloween celebrations would go on but
Sunday's pre-holiday event instructed all guests aged 2 years old or
over to wear a face covering and practice social distancing. Trump,
his wife Melania, and son Barron were infected with COVID-19
themselves earlier this month.
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Medical experts say trying to minimize the danger of virus spread by cancelling
Halloween activities could jeopardize mental health, especially for children
already anxious over the pandemic that has upended schooling, family visits, and
time with friends.
The spooky possibility that COVID-19 would snuff out Halloween fun drove Elvira,
a film horror hostess portrayed by actress Cassandra Peterson, out of the
shadows to plead "Don't Cancel Halloween" in a new music video.
"COVID-19 ruined everything," Elvira sings to the tune of Madonna's "Holiday."
"No costumes, candy or celebration, 'cause everybody's still in self-isolation."
Sales of costumes and candy have not entirely evaporated into thin air. Spending
on decorations, costumes and other festive purchase is expected to reach $8.05
billion this year, down only slightly from $8.8 billion in 2019, the National
Retail Federation said.
Halloween candy sales already are up 8.6% over last year, said the National
Confectioners Association.
COVID-19 has itself inspired some ripped-from-the-headlines costumes, including
a giant container of hand sanitizer and a spiked coronavirus mask.
Schwimmer said she will don her well-worn pointy witch's hat when she perches in
a second-floor window on one end of the PVC pipe, sending candy whizzing down to
trick-or-treaters.
"I think we can celebrate safely without canceling the entire event," said
Schwimmer, a public school fifth grade teacher.
"Finding joy wherever we can under these circumstances - I know it's critical
for me in my personal and professional life, and I think it's really important
for the kids too."
(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; additional reporting by Alexandra Alper, Jill
Serjeant and Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
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