In light of all that 2020 has brought us, many are having a change of plans to holidays such as

Halloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Four people have provided their outlook and opinion

on what they will be doing including, Mr. Shive, the band director here at CHS, Ms. Chupp, the

ESOL coordinator, Matti Morrow, a sophomore, and Ramon Mata, a senior.

What are your plans for Halloween now that COVID-19 has hit?

Shive: “Since COVID’s hit I am doing absolutely nothing for Halloween. We, […] meaning me

and my immediate family, are going to sit at the house, maybe watch some scary movies and eat

terrible food.”

Matti Morrow: “I’m going watch […] scary movies with friends.”

Ms. Chupp: “We are planning to do our normal Halloween traditions this year but with masks!

We go to a friend’s house to hang out and give out candy.”

Ramon: “I’m probably going to stay at home […] according to Mexican tradition we like to

celebrate […] día de los Muertos we usually put […] altar like […] pictures and roses, food for

the people who died, and we care about, so I’m probably going to get some pictures of the people

I love and passed away put them food, flowers for my house obviously that’s probably what I’m

going to do.”

What were your original plans for Halloween?

Shive: “My original plans for Halloween […] were, there’s actually a Saturday contest that

happens on the last Saturday of October every year for marching band and I was going to take

the marching band to a contest on Halloween, however since COVID-19 hit we weren’t able to

go […] because all the marching band contests were cancelled.”

Matti: “Watching scary movies with friends.”

Ms. Chupp: “Plans did not change.”

Ramon: “original plans, I think they were the same. They didn’t actually change.”

What do you think Halloween is going to look like for Bartow County?

Shive: “[…] Honestly I think it’s kind of going to be a mixed bag […]. There a lot of people that

are taking this super seriously, a lot of people that think COVID-19’s not real and then a lot of

people that are also like hey this is real but I still need to go to work […], my kids still need to go

to school all that so […] I definitely think there will still be some trick-or-treating. I think there

will be small gatherings of people. I definitely don’t think that you’ll see the mass like just herds

of children or the […] mass parties […] of people hanging out.”

Matti: “It depends on like I don’t know […] if people are smart this could turn out well, but if

not, I feel like the pandemic and COVID will get worse.”

Ms. Chupp: “I think people who want to participate will wear masks and be conscientious of

their surroundings and avoid high traffic locations. I believe some neighborhoods may create

their own alternative plan if they feel the need to.”

Ramon: “Honestly I think it’s going to be pretty quiet. Well hopefully, you know […] kids get to

go like get their candy, but I do believe that it’s going to be very quiet.”

What do you think people should do as extra precautions if they do go trick-or-treating?

Shive: “[…] Just off the top of my head something I think people could probably try to do […],

obviously most or all candy should be prepackaged I mean we’ve been doing that since I was a

kid and you’re supposed to inspect your kids candy anyways then you can just spray it with some

Lysol, leave it there, boom everything disinfected everyone’s good to go.”

Matti: “Wear a mask, social distance, and be safe”

Ms. Chupp: “I believe people should continue to use hand sanitizer, social distance, and wear

masks”.

Ramon: “You know, definitely masks that’s something very important every kid should be

wearing their masks if they are going to go trick-or-treating. Hand sanitizer you know try to keep

[…] a safe distance from everybody that’s definitely what they have to do.”

What do you think people should do as extra precautions if they do go trick-or-treating?

Shive: “I mean […] I used live next door to a dentist, he would give out toothbrushes and

toothpaste and everybody hated them, so if they want to give out masks and hand sanitizers the

first couple of kids will probably get a laugh and a cute little chuckle by like the 20th kid, they’re

going to look at you and go seriously where my Twix? So, I mean they might, but we’ll

definitely see.”

Matti: “I mean I think it’s funny as a joke and like practical as if […] people actually did it.”

Ms. Chupp: “I think people who participate in Halloween want to feel some normalcy and keep

the fun in Halloween by giving out candy.”

Ramon: “I mean it might start as a joke, but I can see it coming to a reality. You know […] I

don’t think it would be bad, right now everybody needs hand sanitizer and masks so it would be

awesome.”

Are you planning to give out candy or are you even answering the door?

Shive: “[..] We’re not going to give out candy or answer the door.”

Matti: “[…] I’m not sure.”

Ms. Chupp: “We are planning to go to a friend’s house for a smaller Halloween get together and

give out candy.”

Ramon: “Probably not even answering the door.”

Are you planning on traveling for other holidays this year such as Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Shive: “Yes, […] for the first time in a long time I’m going to see my family on Thanksgiving

and Christmas I usually only see them on one of the holidays every year, so I am going to go see

both my family and my wife’s family on Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Matti: “No I’m not”

Ms. Chupp: “We are planning our family get-together as normal for Thanksgiving and

Christmas. Our family is local so we will not have to travel far. If a family member has been

exposed to COVID, they will have to quarantine as not to pass it along to others.”

Ramon: “I think my plans to travel for Christmas are cancelled because of COVID, so probably

not anymore.”

What would you normally be doing over those holidays?

Shive: “This is my first Thanksgiving off in nine years, normally over Thanksgiving I’m in New

York City working with the Macy’s band so we’re [he and his wife] going to spend the entire

week together then we’re going to go see her family then we’re going to go see my family in

Alabama and Christmas that’s my one big break that I shut down, I don’t answer any emails, I

don’t talk to anybody and I just go visit all the family ever.”

Matti: “[…] hanging out with friends like doing stuff that you would normally not do in a

pandemic.”

Ms. Chupp: We get together with each side of our family for dinner and together time.

Ramon: “Normally, I would spend it with my family, this year I didn’t want to travel to Mexico

and visit my family over there, but because of COVID I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to, so I

still have my family and friends here so I’m definitely going to pass time with them.”