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COVID Tricks and Treats in 2020

Do we have to cancel Halloween? Qualtrics studied 1,430 U.S. adults, and discovered what Americans are planning for the scariest holiday. Many are ready to throw their hands up on the Holiday altogether, but most (55%) said we need to be carefully. Here are their plans.

Americans divided over Halloween plans

Who wants to cancel and who wants to go? Several groups are nearly twice as likely to think Halloween should still go on

91
%

parents more likely than non-parents

90
%

men more likely than women

Decline in trick-or-treating plans

While most parents still plan to take their children trick-or-treating, intent has declined sharply. And more than half of people over 50 will not offer candy at their door this year.

0% 100%
Went trick-or-treating with children in 2019
84%
Plan on trick-or-treating with children in 2020
63%

Halloween health guidance

72%

expect their local authorities to release Halloween restrictions, but 23% say they don't intend to follow along

Top 6 things for keeping the holiday alive

Given options about how they would like to celebrate carefully, many adults still selected their holiday favorites: decorations, pumpkin patches, and, yes, trick-or-treating. But, in a nod to the pandemic, far more plan to hand out treats from their driveway or leave them outside than expect to distribute from their door. Here are the top six.

0% 50%
Decorate their house / yard
32%
Go to a pumpkin patch or corn maze
21%
Go out trick-or-treating
19%
Leave candy/treats out for taking
17%
Hand out candy/treats from the door
17%
Hand out candy/treats from the driveway
15%

Get the 2020 COVID Tricks and Treats Report