How do you celebrate Halloween when there’s a real monster lurking out there? – The Arizona Republic

Sawyer and Karina Bland on Halloween.(Photo: Katherine Henderson/Special for The Republic)

I usually start planning my Halloween costume about now, looking for ideas online,flipping through costume catalogs.

This year is different.

Maybe Ill cut fangs out of white felt and stitch them to a blackmask and add ablack cape. Or I could wear my inflatable dinosaur costume.

My son Sawyerhas a respirator that makes him look like Batman supervillain Bane and a mask printed with the face of the vigilante from V for Vendetta.

Every Halloween, we put up polystyrene headstones in the front yard and fake spider webs on the bushes. I make a crock pot of chili, and friends sit with me under the front porch light.

Our kids are too old for trick-or-treating. We do it for the dozen trick-or-treaters who show up and for ourselves, so we can dress up and catch up.

The porch crew on Halloween.(Photo: Scott Henderson/ Special for The Arizona Republic)

Im debating what to do this year,about thereal monster lurking out there.

Some health officials suggest avoiding parties and events with non-household members. They discourage trick-or-treating because its tricky to maintain physical distancingand sharing food is risky.

I asked my newsletter readers what theyll do.

Leslie Nielsen pointed out that since Halloween falls on Saturday, and there will be a full moon, people will be out.

I could be wrong, he wrote, but too many events/celebrations/occasions have been canceled for folks to want to let this one slide.

Mike Urlich may sit in the driveway with a box of candy on the other side for kids to grab. "My wife and mother-in-law enjoy it a lot," he wrote. "I myself am just in it for the wine.

Whoever shows up at our house at Halloween gets a treat.(Photo: Karina Bland/The Republic)

Ill still decorate and dress up. I found a mask online that looks like Bette Midlers Winifred Sanderson character in Hocus Pocus. I have the perfect dress.

Ill still make chili, ask Sawyer to watch a scary movie with me, and sip red wine from skull-shaped glasses.

But Ill leave the porch light off.

Reach Karina Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @KarinaBland.

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How do you celebrate Halloween when there's a real monster lurking out there? - The Arizona Republic

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