LAKESIDE, Calif. — The year 2020 has been a nightmare in many ways, so why should Halloween be any different? In this Zevely Zone, I went to Lakeside to see one family's social distancing game plan. Just when you thought Trick or Treating was dead, leave it to a family with a graveyard in front of their house to save Halloween.
"Okay so you take candy and you put it down the tube. Here is the tube it goes in the tube and comes out the other end," said Chris Witthoft.
It's brilliant really, instead of watching October 31 go down the tubes, Chris and John Witthoft say their homemade 'down the tubes' distribution system from six feet away will save their 40-year Lakeside tradition.
"Ha, ha, ha, it's working, yay," said Chris as she practiced sliding the candy down a long tube to what will be a Trick or Treater on the other side. "Seeing the kids all dressed up in their costumes is the best. It is the best."
Their yard is filled with goblins and skeletons and even a convict in an electric chair. But as spooky as it all is, the Witthoft's are the friendly neighbors known for handing out candy and compliments. "Love your outfit," said John.
I dressed up as a Ninja Turtle. "The Ninja Zevely," said John. I may need to defend myself because when the sun sets around here you have to buckle up for the haunted White House wagon ride.
"So we have Kennedy, then we have Nixon, we have Ronald Reagan, Laura Bush, George W. Bush, the Clintons, both Bill and Hillary then we have George and Abraham," said Jill Witthoft.
She and her 11-year old son Blayde invited me to walk among the dead and if you're looking for a costume idea. "I don't have a name, but I am a Dinosaur Witch ha, ha, ha," laughed Jill.
In a costume like that, you're definitely keeping your germs to yourself. Along with social distancing circles that remind people to stay six feet apart, the Witthofts are trying to take the proper precautions. "I have five hundred pieces of candy, I laid it all on the table and I packaged it in these packages so there is less touching everything sealed. Ready to go for the kids," said Chris. Those bags along with plenty of hand sanitizer may just do the trick.
"You know the kids have missed out on so much this year. They need to have some fun, families need to have some fun, if this is a little bit of fun that they can have that is what makes it all worth wild," said Chris.
The Witthofts figure COVID has been scary enough, so as long as we're careful, a Happy Halloween may just remind us there still so much to live for. "Happy Halloween," said the dancing Dinosaur Witch.
The Witthofts say if you really want to keep your distance you can just stop by and take a picture of the fun. They live on the 10-thousand block of Los Ranchitos Road in Lakeside.