Tricky treats: East Falls neighborhood gets creative to hand out Halloween candy
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With the push to make sure the holiday is safe for families who decide to trick-or-treat on Saturday, and coronavirus numbers surging, there is fear that Halloween traditions could lead to more cases.
"I love Halloween, and usually we have a big party, and not this year," said Sarah Wingo, from East Falls.
Driving around West Philadelphia it looked like fall with orange leaves on front lawns, but there were no orange and black decorations in window displays for miles.
In Drexel Hill we saw a few homes with minimal decorations. Joy McCann said she did that on purpose this year, to not lure in too many trick or treaters.
"I don't know whether we're going to sit on the chairs, and you know I don't have a pole or anything handy, I've seen some clever things," said McCann.
"This is my rendition of the sandworm from Beetlejuice," said Wingo.
Wingo said making the worm to drop candy through has been therapeutic, during a time where she's been isolated from neighbors, many of whom haven't been able to decorate their homes during these tough economic times.
"We're really lucky we both have our jobs, so financially we haven't been impacted the way our neighbors have been," said Wingo.
To help keep her neighborhood safe, Wingo came up with a map for neighbors who are giving out candy to share their locations.
The creativity displayed in the neighborhood has been a way to lift spirits during these tough times.
"It's actually really, really helped my mood to have a project that I'm working on creatively," said Wingo.
Heather Petrone-Shook, also in East Falls, came up with a chute to drop candy through to stay socially distanced from trick or treaters. She also has markers outside her home to space out trick or treaters waiting for candy, six feet apart.
"Basically, the candy will go down the shoot and come out here for the bags of candy for the kids," said Petrone-Shook.
