One Good Thing: Wickedly creative pandemic trick-or-treating

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dropping candy down a chute for little costumed Baby Sharks, Mulans and Black Panthers. Flinging full-size candy bars to them via mini-catapults, “Game of Thrones” style, or with decorated slingshots.

Scattering candy at social distances across the front yard, placing it in Easter egg containers. A church near Cincinnati is offering to hand treats to drive-by families. And in San Francisco, a haunted house has become a haunted drive-thru.

A favorite American festivity is being tested by the pandemic. And people are rising to the challenge for trick-or-treating that's both safe and fun during a pandemic.

“I've always loved Halloween. This has been a rough year for everyone,” said Carol McCarthy, of Palmyra, New Jersey. "I'm going a little more over the top than usual. There's something about this year that I have to try a little harder to keep the magic going."

She's not the only one.

The National Retail Federation's surveys indicate Halloween spending and participation will be down a little this year, projecting spending of $8.05 billion after $8.78 billion last year. But many of those who are participating plan to spend more, it reports.

“Consumers continue to place importance on celebrating our traditional holidays, even if by untraditional standards,” federation CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement.

McCarthy said she will make sure trick-or-treaters and their parents will feel safe. Her husband, Tom, took some PVC pipe to make a 7-foot chute. She plans to use a spray bottle of alcohol to regularly disinfect the chute's end and she's going to offer a safety message while dressed as a pirate:

“Mask up, maties! Stand a plank's length apart.”

In her Columbus, Ohio, neighborhood, Julie Schirmer has been practicing with her candy...