Why We Need Halloween This Year

Honestly, how did we make it this far? This year has been nothing short of a tumultuous roller coaster made of rotting wood with no seatbelt. We approached 2020 with such high aspirations: Valentines: Friday, Cinco de Mayo was on Taco Tuesday, 4th of July: Saturday, Halloween: Saturday, Christmas: Friday.

I mean, most of this has been completely shot by the pandemic. We've been hunkered down in our homes counting the dots on the ceiling, approaching next-level cabin fever.

An opportunity lies ahead:

Halloween.

But why must we push forward with this holiday? Why should we dip our toes back into normalcy? These questions are half sarcastic, yet they must be asked and answered.

Let me tell you why Halloween 2020 MUST happen.

Fear Not Your Fears

How poetic, making a step toward returning to normal on a holiday in which we dress up portraying our deepest fears. I feel as though Halloween 2020 is a sort of call-to-action for all of us to join together and take that step forward.

As ambiguous as the pandemic has been, we are in dire need of one simple cut-and-dry solid decision. It's important for the population to have a reference point as to when something has "turned the corner."

Having a central rallying event surrounding this decision is exactly what our country needs. Being an election year, coupled with the politicization of the virus, having something in common is paramount for us to be able to continue forward as a whole.

Let us all come together, finding solidarity in a holiday celebrating our deepest darkest fears; something we all certainly share.

A Bit of Science

Now, as far as scientific claims go, the actual spread of the virus is difficult to read at best. Something we can take comfort in is the generally agreed upon notion that being outside is the best place you can be to avoid infection.

Of course, there will be many that say passing candy from home to home and child to child could spread the virus. Well, if that argument is going to be made then I'm really uncertain as to how we've been able to function as a society buying groceries, keeping fast food establishments open, and allowing places like walmart to remain accessible.

Precautions can always be taken if you are extra wary. All the candy comes in wrappers, which can easily be sanitized if you wish to go that route. The crux of the argument, though, is to get children (and ourselves) out of the house and allow ourselves to take a deep breath and enjoy a slice of that normal cake.

Still Not Convinced?

Let’s focus on the children for a second. Their lives have been flipped upside down. They have been hearing uncertainty from their parents when asking questions about why they can't see their friends, go to school, play on a playground.

Think about how you pictured your parents as a kid. I know I believed that my dad knew every single thing there was to know on Earth. What a feeling of security and safety. Children need to feel that, but the longer this pandemic lasts, the less security our children are feeling in their parents.

The psychological effects of this situation as a whole (for children and adults) are undoubtedly dangerous. Depression and anxiety are running rampent, while suicide cases are piling up. A life stripped of routine, normalcy, security is no life to live.

We MUST have Halloween this year. It’s a vital step forward to get our country back to normal, and for us to face our fears together.