As the pandemic stretches into another month, some are getting worried about their favorite holiday. What does a deadly viral disease mean for Halloween?
While some cities are contemplating canceling the holiday outright, others are on the fence. It can feel bad for many to cancel their favorite time of the year, but Halloween holds a special place for many.
How do you socially distance a holiday that sees you going door to door to stranger's houses?
Maybe if you don't go all the way to the door.
"Our 6' candy chute is ready to be attached to the handrail! Come on, Halloween!!!"
Andrew Beattie, a Cincinnati dad, loves Halloween a whole lot. So much so, that he's got tons of horror memorabilia and collectibles that he regularly uses for his decorations.
But he also understands the danger we're all currently in and that we all need to do our part to reduce the spread of the pandemic.
His solution? The candy chute.
Beattie took a long tube from an old Amazon order, decorated it in appropriate colors, and affixed it to his stair's handrail. The child stands at the bottom, placing their bag or bucket under the tube, while Beattie can place candy at the top.
The candy takes a fun ride down the chute right into the child's bag, keeping everyone socially distanced.
After sharing his idea and design, the post quickly went viral, with many parents loving the idea. Others, however, were worried about the possibility of disease spreading from the dad to the kids by the candy itself.
Beattie is aware that this chute alone doesn't keep people safe, and will be wearing a mask and gloves while giving out candy.
He also pointed out that this candy slide provides another helpful aspect by making his front door accessible for children who can't go up the stairs.
This is a much better idea than some had to just throw the candy at the kids.
Beattie is very excited for his plans to share candy on Halloween. If there's one thing humans are good at, it's adapting to adverse situations.
If your city doesn't cancel the holiday outright, maybe you too will be able to find a way to hand out candy while socially distancing.