Advertisement

Make a DIY Candy Chute for a Contactless Halloween—Just Like This Guy Did

candy chute, andrew beattie's candy chute specially made for halloween in the time of covid 19
Make This DIY Candy Chute for HalloweenAndrew Beattie
  • An Ohio man has come up with a creative way to celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treaters in the age of COVID-19: a DIY candy chute.

  • In 2020, Andrew Beattie repurposed an old shipping tube to create a candy chute that will keep him at least six feet away from the trick-or-treaters who visit his home on Halloween.

  • Beattie also recommends wearing gloves and handing out candy from newly opened packages to minimize contact and lower the risk of infection.


Andrew Beattie didn’t let COVID-19 crush his holiday spirit last year. When he considered the problem facing many festive homeowners—how to safely deliver candy to trick-or-treaters—the Cincinnati, Ohio resident used his DIY ingenuity to come up with a creative solution: a DIY candy chute. As we approach our third holiday season amid the pandemic, his design still stands the test of time (and safety).

🔨 You love badass builds. So do we. Let’s get our hands dirty together.

Using only a cardboard shipping tube, orange spray paint, black duct tape, and a string of lights, Beattie came up with a super simple, perfectly PopMech way to dole out goodies while adhering to social distancing rules.

Photo credit: Andrew Beattie
Photo credit: Andrew Beattie

While Beattie used the shipping tube for a 6-by-8-foot photo backdrop he ordered from Amazon to make his chute, you can find similar-sized tubes practically anywhere shipping materials are sold, and even “from carpet and material stores—sometimes for free,” he tells Popular Mechanics.

From there, Beattie made a sign that hangs at the end of the chute telling trick-or-treaters to “place buckets here,” so they know exactly where their treats will come from. He says this also helps everyone stay healthy, since it’s a “touch-free experience.”

If you can’t grab new gear, just raid your garage. “Use what you already have when possible,” Beattie suggests. “Reusing what would otherwise be thrown away is good for the environment and your wallet, so it’s a win-win.”


🎃 Make Your Own DIY Candy Chute

Want to make your own candy chute? Follow these simple instructions:

  1. Purchase or find used shipping tube.

  2. Spray paint the shipping tube orange (or another festive color).

  3. Attach the painted shipping tube to your banister with duct tape.

  4. String rope lights around the banister and tube.

  5. Let the good times (and candy) roll!


To further protect the trick-or-treaters in his neighborhood, Beattie will wear a face mask and gloves, and will be handing out candy “directly into the chute from a newly opened bag,” he says.

The best part: You can continue to bust out the candy chute for future Halloweens, even once the pandemic subsides.

“This is something that can be stashed away easily and reused year after year,” Beattie says. “Even when the pandemic has passed, folks with mobility issues will appreciate not having to navigate steps to get close enough to you, as will those who are immunocompromised.”

Don’t forget to tag us if you make your own chute!

You Might Also Like