Like just about everything else this year, Halloween 2020 is confusing. Los Angeles’ local health department initially banned trick-or-treating due to the pandemic but then back pedaled to say it was not banned but still strongly discouraged. The homeowners on Thayer Avenue, usually a bustling hotspot for crowds of costumed candy seekers have announced they will be dark to avoid crowds. An informal Nextdoor survey among neighbors in Cheviot Hills offered a mixture of opinions, mostly split right down the middle among those who would be participating and those who would not. Some have said that children this year have suffered a lot and want to offer a fun night of traditional revelry. Others are opting to not pass out candy to strangers at the door, in the interest of exercising caution during this scary time. Still others are figuring out ways to engage in drive by trick-or-treating from inside vehicles, and accepting candy in a no-touch/socially distant way. So, if you opt to venture out with your children this year, be prepared for not as many houses participating, however, there will still be some that are. Perhaps create costumes that include a mask (for parents, too) and try to keep six feet apart from others out in the street as well as those opening their front doors. Whether you choose to celebrate Halloween inside or outside your home this year, I hope you stay safe and try to have fun. Whatever you do, don’t pass out raisins. Even during a crazy, confusing and often contentious year, everyone agrees that no one likes those.