By: Peter Villafane and Giselle Ormeno, Special Projects Team

There are so many fun things to do during Halloween. Contracting a virus is not one of those things. So, here are some alternatives to partying and trick-or-treating:

Have a virtual scary movie marathon on Teleparty

Formerly called Netflix Party, this Google Chrome extension allows viewers to watch the same video stream with up to 50 people. The group can simultaneously watch Netflix, Disney, Hulu and HBO and communicate using the group chat feature. Once everyone is signed in to the selected streaming service, simply share a link and everyone can view the same screen. Watch everyone’s favorite movies and TV shows of the season while never having to leave the house.

Carve pumpkins over video chat

Social distancing guidelines don’t have to stop the celebration of Halloween traditions. There is still a way to have a pumpkin carving party. Tell loved ones to buy pumpkins and set up a time with everybody to get on video chat together. Then, carve away! Doing this over video chat also has this added bonus: no cleaning up of other people’s pumpkin guts. 

Host a trick-or-treating car caravan

This is a great way to remain connected with loved ones while still maintaining social distancing guidelines. Friends and family can get creative and decorate their cars in the most spooky way possible. As participants drive through the street and pull up to selected houses, they can hand out candy through the car windows. At a safe distance, everyone can all be together without risking anyone’s health.

Play Among Us

This mobile multiplayer game has been taking the internet by storm, and it’s perfect for Halloween. Four to 10 players are crewmembers on a spaceship, but one of them is an imposter. The imposter’s job is to kill everyone on board. Once a person is killed, it is the crewmembers’ job to weed out who the imposter is. Have fun tricking your friends. It’s a treat!

Have a candy treasure hunt

Dress up in Halloween costumes and decide where to hide the candy. Leave fun clues with the location of each piece of hidden candy for the people in the home. If unsure about what kind of clues to write, use ready-made clues or riddles to make life a little bit easier. Stick a small treasure chest near the last candy piece to indicate the end of the hunt. It’s a great way to stay at home and still have fun! 

Host an outdoor Halloween movie night with friends or family 

Why not put a backyard to good use by hosting an outdoor Halloween movie night? It’s a great way to get out of the house, get some fresh air and still have fun while still adhering to the safety guidelines. 

Decide where the movie should be projected by prepping the space. If a clear space isn’t available, hang a thick beige or cream-colored canvas drop cloth against the siding of the house. Set up a projector on a flat surface and test the positioning before starting the movie. 

Arrange lounge chairs and outdoor furniture six feet apart, and get ready for an awesome movie night. 

But, if you still want to leave the house, there are a lot of great drive-through experiences around LA County to get you in the spooky spirit.