The coronavirus pandemic has definitely taken a toll on everyone. Schools are trying to find small wins to bring joy into students’ lives. Even though this is important, it is also important to think about the why before a plan is put into. This includes Halloween celebrations.
This might not be a popular opinion, but Halloween celebrations are not necessary. Students can celebrate and have fun without making the focus on Halloween. Everyone does not celebrate Halloween.
As a child, I spent Halloween at church participating in Holy Heroes Night. It was a night where you could dress up as a character from the Bible. We celebrated biblical heroes, ate pizza, and received a bag of candy. I hated everything but the free pizza. I did not believe I was going to go to hell if I trick-or-treated, but I also did not like having to sit through Halloween activities in school when I knew that was not supported in my home.
The years I really enjoyed activities in school was when the focus was on fall and harvest. My parents and extended family members are gardeners. When we talked about the harvest, I had a knowledge base. The activities were more inclusive for me and all students.
Fall festivals are a great alternative. This allows schools to have a variety of activities to reach all students. However, since we are in a pandemic, we also need to keep health and safety in mind. Some schools in Marion County are still planning to have trunk-or-treat activities as part of fall festivals even though that activity is on the list of activities to avoid.
While schools are considering the options for celebration during October, safety also must be kept in mind.