The story of the Halloween pumpkin

Come here, my love, and I’ll tell you a story about the pumpkin and Halloween.

You know that round, orange pumpkin we see everywhere in the fall? A long time ago it grew wild in America. The first people there farmed it, ate its sweet flesh and crunchy seeds, and kept its hard shell like a little bowl. Later it traveled by ship to Europe and became known all over the world. That’s why today we find it in soups, in pies, and in our arms when we pick it up from the fields!

Now, about Halloween: many, many years ago, in the Celtic lands (in Ireland and Scotland), people celebrated the end of the harvest. They believed that on that night, the line between the living and the dead became very thin, so they dressed up in costumes, lit little lights, and knocked on doors for treats. Little by little this celebration became All Hallows’ Eve—the Halloween we know.

And where does the pumpkin come in? At first, people made lanterns by carving turnips and beets to keep the… mischievous spirits away. There’s an old tale about Jack, a crafty fellow who wandered with a light inside a carved vegetable—that’s why we call them “jack-o’-lanterns.” When many Irish people moved to America, they found big, orange pumpkins: softer, easier to carve, and beautiful with a candle inside. So the pumpkin became Halloween’s favorite lantern.

Today, when October arrives, we go to fields full of pumpkins, pick the prettiest one, carve eyes and a smile (a little funny, a little spooky!), light it, and set it by our door. And then, in our costumes, we share smiles and… a bit of chocolate. The pumpkin reminds us of the harvest, of plenty, and that autumn can be warm and magical.

So? Shall we pick out our “perfect” pumpkin together tomorrow? 🎃

Until then, we can make a lovely pumpkin-themed craft!