An unofficial holiday celebrated annually on October 26th.
The pumpkin is one of the main symbols of Halloween (in the U.S.) and is a central component of many fall festivals, Oktoberfests and similar celebrations. It is also delicious when served as food in a variety of ways. So it really shouldn't be a surprise that this orange squash has its own holiday.
Pumpkin Facts and Trivia
- The name of this squash comes from the Greek word Pepõn – a word that means “Large Melon.”
- Pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America, as seeds were found in Mexico dating back about 9,000 years.
- Pumpkins and other forms of squash were an important food staple to the Native Americans.
Jack-o-Lanterns
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| Image Source: Wikimedia Commons |
Jack-o'-lanterns carved from pumpkins are a yearly Halloween tradition brought to the United States by Irish Immigrants. Read all about the origin of the Jack-O-Lantern here.
Pumpkin Dishes
There are many ways to cook and enjoy this squash called a Pumpkin:
- Cook as a squash vegetable dish.
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| Pumpkin Chiffon Pie - Photo & Recipe by Sylvestermouse as seen on her Cooking for the Holidays site. |
- Pumpkin Pie – a traditional Thanksgiving dinner dessert. Check out this Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Recipe by Sylvestermouse.
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| Pumpkin Bread - Recipe by Sylvestermouse |
- Pumpkin Bread - See a delicious recipe for Pumpkin Bread by Sylvestermouse.
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Photo Compliments of Sam Monaco
from his Sam's Place Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe.
Pumpkin Seeds make a great snack. Check out this easy recipe for Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds from Sam's Place by Sam Monaco.
Handmade Pumpkins
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| Pumpkin Beverage Coasters on Etsy |
Crafters also like to get creative with pumpkins. This set of Pumpkin beverage coasters can be found in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. They are perfect for home décor in the season of Harvest-time, Autumn and Halloween.
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| Striped Crochet Pumpkin - Etsy |
Angela of Colorado hand-crochets this beautiful pumpkin in an earthy peach and creamy white stripes. It is stuffed with poly-fil, and features a birchwood stem and two faux fall leaves are secured to the pumpkin center with a dab of hot glue.
This pumpkin measures between 3” tall (4” with stem) and 15"-16” around which is approximately 4” wide. It is featured in her Etsy Shop 209 Divine, along with a variety of other holiday items.
The Pumpkin Patch
So get ready for National Pumpkin Day by visiting a pumpkin patch near you for a selection of pumpkins to cook, decorate your home for the Fall Season or carve into Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween.
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| Tyler in the Pumpkin Patch |
My favorite photo of a pumpkin patch was taken by my son of my grandson Tyler as a toddler on his first-ever visit to a Pumpkin Patch.
*National Pumpkin Day Review written by Wednesday Elf
