Kids Will Trick-Or-Treat, But Parents Wary: Illinois Patch Survey

ILLINOIS — The verdict is in. Despite guidance from the CDC to avoid trick-or-treating — which health officials have described as "high risk" during the coronavirus pandemic — most of the more than 3,400 parents who weighed in on Patch's informal survey said their kids will trick-or-treat this Halloween.

But while 47.3 percent of those who responded said their kids will trick-or-treat, another 40 percent said they won't be sending their kids door-to-door on Halloween, and another 12 percent said they aren't sure yet.

Parents overwhelmingly said their kids will wear a mask — and not the costume kind — while trick-or-treating, following the mask mandate that's been in place in Illinois since May. More than 61 percent said their kids will wear a mask while another 24.8 percent said they won't.

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Despite appearing to be in favor of trick-or-treating, parents admitted they are wary about the practice during coronavirus. More than 43 percent said they are "very concerned" about allowing kids to go door-to-door during the pandemic, compared to 31.5 percent who said they are not concerned at all. Another 24.7 percent said they are slightly concerned.

More than 52 percent of the thousands of respondents said they plan to pass out candy on Halloween, while 33.5 percent said they won't. Another 14 percent said they're not sure yet.

Most of those who responded — nearly 48 percent — said the coronavirus will change the way their family celebrates Halloween, but almost as many — nearly 44 percent — said it won't. Another 8.5 percent said they don't celebrate Halloween.

With the CDC suggesting alternative celebrations this Halloween, here are some of the ways Illinois Patch readers said they plan to mark the holiday this year:

• A small gathering of kids maybe with a piñata full of candy instead of going trick-or-treating
• No. Just going to give bags of candy to grandkids and a couple neighbor kids
• Trick or treat bags on a long pole?
• Probably a scavenger hunt instead of trick or treating
• Celebrate with immediate family
• We are ordering pizza, indulging in candy and watching scary movies
• Candy hunt in backyard
• Carving pumpkins that will be thoroughly washed. Dressing up in our costumes, doing an Easter egg hunt with little candy filled pumpkins in the house, watching Halloween movies, playing games and eating lots of candy and taking cute pictures.
• Put a bowl of candy on the porch
• I will sit on the driveway with the candy bowl at the end of the driveway so kids can take some and not be too close to me, that way I get to experience seeing all the neighborhood kids from a distance and hope some candy will brighten their day
• Staying home and playing games with the kids
• Our child who still enjoys Halloween celebrations will have the other boys from his small school pod (4 boys) to our home for a socially distant, pumpkin carving get together. They will all wear masks. It will be held outside
• Halloween movie night, buying Halloween related toys, Halloween craft/game night
• Table at the end of my driveway and we will stay in our garage with spooky music playing
• Candy hunt in the yard, and watching movies and popcorn at home
• Pinata and a flashlight candy hunt

"I do believe we should take the time to consider how our actions (going door to door) affect the world," one reader wrote. "This is the perfect example of being the change you want to see in the world, how even little actions matter, and not drag the virus everywhere with you."

Another replied, "Trick-or-treating during a pandemic is crazy!"

Others responded saying they won't change a thing this year, including one respondent who called coronavirus "fake news" and another who wrote that kids have "been locked up forever, let them have one day."

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