*The following op-ed originally appeared in Morning Consult on October 20, 2021.
This Halloween is going to be a blowout. Retailers are going strong on their Halloween sets with about 27 percent more seasonal items on display per store than in 2020. Consumers are planning to celebrate in a big way, including young parents – 93 percent of whom say they plan to celebrate Halloween this year. And sales of chocolate and candy are up 48 percent over 2020 and nearly 60 percent over 2019.
Op-Ed
What’s The Deal With Halloween This Year?
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen some debate in the policy arena and with public health departments over the status of this year’s Halloween season — will Americans be allowed to celebrate or is Halloween canceled?
Except, it’s not really much of a debate about “if” Halloween is going to happen as much as it is a conversation about “how” people will celebrate the season safely.
NYT: Indiana University Professor of Pediatrics Says “Let Kids Have Halloween”
“…if I had to design an activity for children that might be safe during a pandemic, I’m not sure that I could do a better job than trick-or-treating. It’s outside. It can be socially distanced. The food is individually wrapped (before anyone partakes, parents can wipe the candies down while kids wash their hands). It’s the one night a year when kids will not argue at all about wearing masks.”
Halloween Is Happening With Fresh Takes on Longstanding Traditions
*The following article originally appeared in Future of Personal Health on September 2, 2020.
So many celebrations, traditions, and parties have been canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the setbacks and social distancing, people across the country have found new ways to celebrate special moments like birthdays, graduations, and holidays. And for this year’s Halloween, many will need to take a similar approach to maximize the season.
It’s Official: ‘Halloween Is Happening’, Says NCA President and CEO John Downs
As the conversation in the media and in our communities around Halloween and whether or not it is canceled continues, I want to share a simple but important thought with the industry and our retail partners as we move into the next several weeks of our annual ‘Super Bowl’ moment: Halloween is happening!
