Halloweeners who dare can see this larger-than-life skeleton in Village on the Lake.

When it comes to the holidays, I’d like to improvise on Oregon’s tourism slogan to say, “Covid Holidays: They Look Different Here.”

We’ve already seen Lake Oswegans’ Covid renditions of birthday and graduation parties, weddings and anniversaries. The Fourth of July was basically canceled. And now we find ourselves on the verge of the big three: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

The CDC guidelines discourage traditional trick-or-treating this year and instead encourage activities like carving pumpkins, virtual costume contests and Halloween scavenger hunts. While we no longer have little ones in the house, we remember, and realize no trick-or-treating may be a hard sell. To that end, I’m posting a Halloween scavenger hunt list below that might help. And neighbors might want to consider ways they can treat while at a safe social distance—one neighbor is planning a chute drop to deliver the goods; others might want to leave treats on the porch or at the end of the driveway. I heard of one gentleman who built a robot for safely handing out treats. And another expert suggests we trick-or-treat in reverse, meaning that those of us with treats go around leaving our candy on neighbors’ porches. The point is, as with the rest of Covid, Halloween is calling upon us all to get creative.

Here are a few other Halloween happenings in and around Lake Oswego:

MONSTER MASH. Taking a page from drive-thru birthdays and graduation celebrations, the City of Lake Oswego is hosting a free drive-thru version of its annual Monster Mash on Saturday, October 31 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit the Parks and Recreation website Halloween week to download a map that will guide you to eerie parks and facilities throughout the community. Cruise through the parking lots and pick up your pre-bagged goodies. Costumes are encouraged both for you and your cars!

You’ll find this creature in the First Addition.

NEIGHBORHOODS. While you’re out looking for Monster Mash spook-spots, you might want to also explore some of the Lake Oswego neighborhoods to add more thrills and chills to your ride.  That’s where one of my previous posts on decked-out Halloween neighborhoods might come in handy. Some of the areas to explore from the safety of your car are Cardinal Drive, Westlake, River Run and Village on the Lake. Just like Lake Oswegans joined in the early Covid ritual of placing teddy bears in the window for kids to spot on their daily walks, look for Lake Oswegans to join in what Pinterest is seeing as a trend this season—decorating their front doors to express holiday cheer while staying in. I know we have a wicked witch with a bad sense of direction who will be gracing ours.

OAKS PARK HAUNTED DRIVE-THROUGH. Speaking of drive-through events, Oaks Park is presenting a Haunted Drive-Through experience. Choose from five themed experiences that play out through a number of scenes and range from 2 to 4.5 on a scary scale of 1-5.  When your turn is up, you’ll be given a sanitized Bluetooth speaker and led to a parking spot where your first scene will unfold in front of you complete with actors, sound effects, lighting and special effects. When that scene ends, you’ll be instructed to start your car and move to the next spot where you story continues. Attendance is limited and prices vary depending on the time. Buy your tickets online in advance.

HOLIDAYS ON FRANKLIN STREET. If you feel like driving a bit, the residents of Franklin Street in Vancouver are planning their biggest Halloween display yet with lights, music and special effects. Decorations will be up starting October 3 but on Halloween weekend they will be offering drive-by trick-or-treating as well as what they are calling a “traditional experience.” 46`6 NW Franklin Street, Vancouver, Washington.

As promised, here’s the Halloween Scavenger Hunt Checklist. Happy Haunting!

Don’t get spooked about buying or selling your home during Covid. Give me a call at 503.939.9801 and/or check out my website. I’ve been helping people move in, out and on during Covid and I’d be happy to do the same for you!