The coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our daily life, including how we celebrate holidays. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade won’t march this year to comply with COVID-19 safety precautions, and Los Angeles’ public health department made waves recently when it banned door-to-door trick-or-treating, then walked the ban back to a recommendation the next day.
The pandemic has some parents thinking creatively about how to make a socially distanced Halloween just as fun for kids, and one dad in Cincinnati has invented a gadget for contactless trick-or-treating that’s sure to be a hit.
Andrew Beattie, a father and fan of this holiday, posted his simple yet brilliant idea on Facebook for a six-foot chute that delivers candy into the hands of kids. Using a cardboard tube he’d received an Amazon shipment in, Beattie and his 6-year-old daughter decked it out for Halloween in orange with a black stripe and attached the 4-inch-wide tube to the railing on the stairs in front of their house.
In a post on Facebook, Beattie explained that the candy chute allows for a touch-free experience. He’ll place a sign at the bottom of the tube to show kids where to hold their candy buckets so the candy drops right in.
Our 6′ candy chute is ready to be attached to the handrail! Come on, Halloween!!! ðð»ð§
Edit #1: a quick update, since…
Posted by Andrew Beattie on Saturday, September 12, 2020
The post went viral, snagging 80,000 shares and more than 21,000 likes.
Beattie said he plans to take extra precautions to keep everyone safe, including wearing a face mask and gloves, which he will change frequently.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” he told BuzzFeed News of his Halloween plans. “We thought this would be a great way.”
A follow-up Facebook post showed Beattie’s daughter giving the candy chute a test run with much success:
His Facebook posts went viral, with many parents expressing their appreciation for Beattie’s ingenuity and thoughtfulness to try to keep the Halloween experience alive for the little ones.
“If this candy chute makes things easier or safer, AND gives those with mobility challenges more of a chance to participate, then what’s the harm?” he wrote on the post. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, ya’ know.”
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
