Halloween 2020 is certainly a strange one. With COVID counts going up again, there’s no big in-person events happening this weekend. Annual events like the Vida la Vida Fest and Polkapocalypse became live streams. Other popular activities, such as the German-Texas Heritage Society’s Oktoberfest, were simply cancelled. And to top it all off, there’s a full moon tonight.
Austin officials are discouraging trick-or-treat night, so we decided not to turn on our porch light this year. (Our bag of chocolate candy was immediately opened after the Big Decision was made.) Some of our more crafty neighbors have invented “candy chutes” to ensure that the marauding masses keep an appropriate social distance.
Never in my life have I seen so many outdoor Halloween decorations in Austin. In a nod to these unusual times, many figures are wearing masks. Obviously, people are bored and have extra time on their hands.
I’ve seen more skeletons than usual this month. Maybe there was a sale somewhere? I read that Home Depots had quickly sold out of 12-foot skeletons. I haven’t seen any 12-footers in Austin, but there are lots of realistic skeletons around. Against the backdrop of a pandemic, I am feeling conflicted about this trend.
Halloween inflatables also seem to be a big thing this year. The three photos above were all taken at the same house. Actually, these people did not have enough space in their front yard for their extensive collection, and more inflatables peeked over their backyard fence.
Yep, inflatables are popular in 2020.
Most of this year’s Halloween decorations are cute, but I’ve seen some frightening exceptions. There’s no way I’m walking around after dark tonight…
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