As I write this, our new neighborhood has already recognized that trick or treating is going to be different this year and has proposed a plan: We’ll have one table for the street and bag candy for children in advance. On Halloween, we’ll take turns manning the table to ensure that everyone takes one bag. When you factor in that our town has limited trick or treating this year, we’ll only be outside for a max of 30 minutes each.

The plan is a good one, it keeps everyone safe and ensures that children are able to experience some sort of normal — even if normal looks different this year. I don’t have a problem with the plan, it just makes me a little sad.

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays because it’s a time to see everyone have fun together. A time of costumes and seeing your neighbors grow up. When we picked our home, we wanted a quiet street for many reasons. For me, trick or treating was one of them, especially when you factor in that we live rural and children from further out in town probably park in the down center and wander down our street at some point.

No matter how your Halloween looks this year, I wish you a safe one (though I would do that any year, trick or treating does happen in the dark). Remember your neighbors and the fun that we’ll have in future years.

Happy Halloween! May you find yourself watching a spooky movie.