This Halloween has the potential to be epic: the holiday falls on a Saturday (which means we get an entire day of candy, costumes, and crafts) and there will even be a full moon (so spooky!). That said, there are a few things that will set Halloween 2020 apart from all other years — most notably, the coronavirus pandemic and everything that comes with it. But just because we need to remain socially distanced this year doesn't mean Halloween is canceled — it just means we need to brainstorm creative quarantine Halloween ideas.

Ahead, we've compiled a list of the best ways to safely celebrate Halloween in 2020. From setting up a few festive Halloween games to cooking a spread of yummy fall foods, these ideas will help you have the best Halloween yet. Forget everything you know about how October 31 is traditionally celebrated; these quarantine Halloween ideas will help you have a spooky socially distanced celebration right at home. All you need to do is put on your costume, eat some candy, and get ready for a haunting Halloween house party.

1. Go "Ghosting

What's that, you ask? It's when you create a treat bag of goodies for a friend or neighbor and leave it on their doorstep with a note inside to pass it on (as in, create a new treat bag and "ghost" someone else). It's a festive way to spread some socially distanced holiday cheer.

2. Play a Halloween game

This year, you have all day to celebrate Halloween — which means you might want to plan some structured activities. A fun bean-bag or ring toss, or a game of trivia or charades is sure to be a hit.

3. Make a spooky snack

Since you might not be able to do traditional Halloween activities like going to a haunted house or trick-or-treating with friends, you can channel more of your energy into creating a stunning spread of spooky snacks.

4. And some spooky sweets

Halloween is all about treating yourself — which means you should go all in on preparing a ton of sweets. Try something creative, like witch cupcakes, black cat cookies, or choco-pumpkin ice-cream sandwiches.

5. Do a Tarot card reading

Light a few candles and see what's in the cards for your future. For a unique experience, hire a professional to do a private Tarot consultation on Zoom.

6. Put on a Halloween playlist

No matter how small your Halloween party is, it won't be complete without some festive tunes. Blast your favorites and have a dance party or play a game of freeze dance.

7. Watch a Halloween movie or special

There's no more classic activity than watching a Halloween-themed movie or show. For a kid-friendly option, tune into the Mighty Express's Halloween Special on Netflix. In it, a haunted Ghost Train comes for candy every Halloween, and Nate gets quite the fright when he thinks Flicker's first-class costume is the real deal.

8. Attend a trick-or-treat parade

Look in your local newspaper to see if there will be an outdoor Halloween parade or some other socially distanced celebration. You might be surprised how many parades, trunk or treats, and drive-through events you find.

9. Make a fall craft

The perfect Halloween craft is one that's just as festive on October 31 as it is come Thanksgiving (that way, you can make the craft on one holiday and use it as a decoration on the next). Fortunately, there are a ton of crafts that fall into this category, such as these paint-splattered pumpkins. Simply paint pumpkins a solid color and then splatter a different color over it using a toothbrush.

 10. Decorate!

 A little bit of Halloween decorating can go a long way — especially if you've got kids. For example, waking up to these adorable ghost emoji balloons will help them feel like Halloween is going to be perfectly festive, even if it's a little bit different this year than most years.

11. Host a virtual party

At this point in quarantine, we're all pros at hosting virtual get-togethers. Pour a drink, put on a costume, and invite all your friends to a Halloween FaceTime or Zoom party.

12. Paint your kids' faces

 You don't have to be an artist to have fun with face paint. Ask your kids which design they'd like and do your best to paint it. They can even take turns painting each others' faces if they'd like.

 13. Mix a spooky cocktail

No Halloween is complete without a custom witch's brew cocktail or mocktail. Freezing plastic spiders into your ice cubes, as seen in this drink, will delight both kids and adults.

 14. Go on a family bike ride or walk

Spend Halloween morning biking through a park or nearby neighborhood. Point out the prettiest fall foliage or the most fabulously decorated houses. It's a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the late-fall weather.

 15. Deliver festive treats to loved ones

Consider sending a delicious Halloween treat to friends and family you can't see in person. Receiving a delivery of these monster-inspired rice Krispies pops will be a bright spot on anyone's holiday.

 Reference: Juliana Labianca of Goodhousekeeping

Try these tips to keep your balance, or re-balance yourself.

1. Value yourself:

Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism. Make time for your hobbies and favorite projects, or broaden your horizons. Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another language.

2. Take care of your body:

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to:

• Eat nutritious meals
• Avoid cigarettes
• Drink plenty of water
• Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods
• Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression in college students.

3. Surround yourself with good people:

People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

4. Give yourself:

Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You'll feel good about doing something tangible to help someone in need — and it's a great way to meet new people. 

5. Learn how to deal with stress:

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: do Tai Chi, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humor in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

6. Quiet your mind:

Try meditating,mindfulness and/or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you feel calm and enhance the effects of therapy.

7. Set realistic goals:

Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally and personally, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high, but be realistic and don't over-schedule. You'll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you progress toward your goal. 

8. Break up the monotony:

Although our routines make us more efficient and enhance our feelings of security and safety, a little change of pace can perk up a tedious schedule. Alter your jogging route, plan a road-trip, take a walk in a different park, hang some new pictures or try a new restaurant. 

9. Avoid alcohol and other drugs:

Keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and other drugs to "self-medicate" but in reality, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems. 

10. Get help when you need it:

Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness. And it is important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and addiction and lead full, rewarding lives. 

*Adapted from the National Mental Health Association/National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

Reference: https://uhs.umich.edu/tenthings

With officials urging us to limit unnecessary travel, many of us might be starting to feel a bit stir crazy. Being outside and in nature is important for dealing with stress and anxiety—the exact emotions in overdrive right now. But is it possible to safely head outdoors without putting your and others’ health at risk?

The short answer is yes—we can technically walk, run, and bike alone or with our immediate household without violating social distancing rules. But there’s more to consider before opening the door.

Adhere to official guidelines

Before you lace up your shoes, check what local health officials are saying for your area. “It's really important that people understand the situation that they're in,” says Lisa Miller, epidemiologist at the Colorado School of Public Health. “Understand your own locality and the public health recommendations or public health orders that are in place and abide by those first and foremost.”

In some locations with more cases of the virus, access to beaches, parks, and trails is being restricted. Restrictions can be very localized—while the California Coronavirus Response website says that you can still hike and run outside, individual cities and counties in the state are closing outdoor areas that proved to be too crowded to maintain safe distances. Also, while national park fees have been waived, many are individually cutting back on camping and visitor services, or closing altogether.

For some activities, you may be able to find guidance from local sport-specific organizations. In Salt Lake City, for example, the local rock climbing association has told climbers to stay away from outdoor cliffs, as there are simply too many rock climbers in the area to maintain a safe distance.

If we’ve learned anything from this experience, it’s that the guidelines for best practices can change from day-to-day. So stay informed. “If that means you really need to stick to indoor exercise, then stick to indoor exercise,” adds Miller. “If it's still allowed to be outside and exercising, that's great, but really maintain that six-foot distance from people and don't engage in activities that are going to bring you into contact with other people.”

Safe activities: minimize contact, shared surfaces with others

In general, running, walking, and biking solo or with your immediate household can be done with minimal risk of catching or spreading the virus. But sports performed in groups and involving physical contact are a no-go. Miller says to remember that the virus can be spread by direct contact or by touching the same objects. When considering an activity, think about how close you’ll be to others and whether you’ll be touching the same things. The more often a ball or other piece of sports equipment is touched by someone other than yourself, the more risk you’re introducing for disease spread. If your go-to sport has too many uncertainties to make a clear call—say, not knowing if it will be possible to maintain distance at a particular trail or park—it’s better to be conservative and don’t go.

If you’ve satisfied all the above precautions and are ready to go, “wash your hands before you go out,” says Grace Roberts, a virologist at Queen’s University Belfast. “You don’t know if you’re infected.” Also, bring everything you need—water, snacks, etc.—so that you can minimize having to stop at any stores. Don’t use public restrooms or other shared facilities.

Then, when you’re out, avoid touching surfaces with your hands and keep your hands away from your face. For example, you might use your elbow to hit a crosswalk button. Roberts says that when she’s running, she reserves her left hand for hitting the crosswalk button or any other surfaces, while her right hand is used for adjusting her glasses, or handling water and snacks. Once you get home, immediately wash your hands.

Stay local and spread out

Those experiencing a layoff or the newly-found freedom of remote work may have misinterpreted what it means to self-quarantine. In recent weeks, officials in outdoor tourism hotspots have made calls for travellers to stay home. In a letter, hospital executives in the outdoors-centric Moab, Utah-area expressed concern over the impact of tourism: “As a 17-bed critical access hospital, we have no ICU and minimal capability to care for critical respiratory patients. Additionally, we are now concerned that tourism will drive the spread of SARS-CoV-2.”

Even the best-intentioned travellers will have to make stops for gas and groceries, introducing opportunities for the virus to jump to new locations. Stay close to home to prevent this. Miller says to think about all the steps involved in a particular activity—will you have to stop for food, equipment, or anything else? The more stops, the more you risk contracting and spreading the virus. “You can’t just think about the end goal,” says Miller. “You have to think about all of those other things.”

Even for local trips, plan routes carefully. Think about which locations tend to get crowded, and choose less-busy alternatives. As the nonprofit outdoor organization Leave No Trace puts it: “Absolutely avoid crowded parks, trails and beaches. Social distancing applies in the outdoors just as it does anywhere else.” And, the group adds, be prepared to pack out any trash, since many parks are only providing limited services right now.

Hospitals don’t need more patients—choose low-risk sports

With many areas concerned about hospital capacity, now is not the time to take any risks. Tommy Caldwell, a professional rock climber, told his Instagram followers last week that he wouldn’t be climbing outside during the health crisis: “Soon taking up space in a hospital bed will amount to a death sentence for someone else."

With ski resorts closed, the Colorado Sun reports that more Coloradans are taking to the backcountry to ski, facing increased risks. Especially if that new crowd includes skiers without essential gear and training, it could place an additional burden on emergency services and hospitals. And, of course, denser crowds means it’s harder to maintain six feet of space.

This advice even goes for city-bound activities, like road cycling. Roberts says that cyclists should think about which routes put them in close contact with motorists. If you’re planning bike rides, you may want to avoid routes where you have to share the roads with cars to reduce the odds of getting in an accident.

“You want to make sure that you are limiting risk and not getting injured because the last thing you want to do is end up in a health care system, especially for communities that may not have a lot of healthcare resources,” says Miller. “Most health care resources right now are really focused on making sure they preserve all the resources they possibly can for COVID-19.”