The candy, the costumes, the haunted houses. As we all know, many people—and not just kids—wait all year for Halloween. And while the pandemic is definitely changing how the holiday is celebrated this year, the fun will still go on.

There are many ways to get into the Halloween spirit and still be safe and socially distant. We have rounded up some ideas to help you and your friends and family enjoy Halloween this year, including some virtual options. So, get your costume set and get ready for a spook-tacular time!

DECORATE YOUR HOME
This is a great year to go all out on your Halloween decorations. Stores like Target have huge selections of Halloween décor, and much of it is on sale at this point. You can pick up inflatable items, door décor, and tombstones for outside your home, and Halloween lights, skeletons, fog machines, and spider webs for inside. The DIY network has put together a bunch of easy and inexpensive Halloween décor ideas. There are also plent of ideas on Pinterest.

MAKE SPOOKY CRAFTS
Making Halloween crafts at home is an enjoyable pastime for revelers of all ages. One idea is to make monster puppets from paper lunch bags. Check out the YouTube channel of I Heart Craft Things for inspiration. Another easy craft is to make a bat out of a paper towel roll and black construction paper. The site craftymorning.com explains how to do it. For free Halloween coloring pages that can be downloaded and printed, head to crayola.com. For other craft ideas, check out joann.com where you can find all types of projects.

HOST A ZOOM PARTY
Zoom video conference parties are a great way to spend Halloween with family and friends while maintaining social distancing. You can set up a virtual costume party where each person gets to vote on their favorite look, and you can award a virtual prize to the winner. You can also invite attendees to share their Halloween decorations and decor. Halloween-themed party games are another fun Zoom party option; you can organize a virtual scavenger hunt or play some rounds of Halloween charades. The site playpartyplan.com has a free printable Halloween scavenger hunt, and crazylittleprojects.com has printable Bingo cards with a Halloween theme. And don't forget that a Halloween party—even a virtual one—is a great time to share scary stories. You can tell a chilling story together over Zoom by having one person start it and then each person can add on, or you can ask everyone to come prepared and tell their own haunting tale.

BAKE HALLOWEEN TREATS
If you are spending Halloween at home, sweeten things up making some spooky snacks and treats. You can stick with classics such as popcorn balls and caramel apples or try making a pumpkin cake or something more complicated. To find recipes for vintage Halloween treats, visit tasteofhome.com. The recipe site delish.com has compiled recipes for 52 Halloween foods, ranging from easy cookies to more complicated layer cakes. If you aren't into a big baking night, you can also buy pre-made cookie dough, colored sprinkles, gummies, and other toppings. Then, have fun decorating!

WATCH SCARY MOVIES
Watching a bone-chilling flick is a time-honored Halloween tradition. This year is ideal for hunkering down with some popcorn to screen a family film or spooky horror show. The entertainment reviews site Rotten Tomatoes has put together a list of Halloween movies for kids. Topping the list is The Nightmare Before Christmas. The publication Time Out has compiled what it considers the best Halloween movies of all time. That list includes classics such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and newer films like Get Out.

LISTEN TO CREEPY TUNES
If you are staying in, put together a playlist with some of your favorite Halloween tunes. Classics like "The Monster Mash," "Thriller," and the theme from Ghostbusters always liven up the mood. If you are spending Halloween with friends and family, turn up the volume and have a dance party or play a game of freeze dance. For help finding songs, go to Spotify, which has a number of Halloween playlists to choose from. The kid's group Kidz Bop has a Halloween album which can be accessed through different platforms, including Apple Music and Amazon.