Americans just love everything about pumpkins. We love them so much, that we have several pumpkin holidays to celebrate them. Pumpkins are a part of three huge three holidays towards the end of the year. For two of them, pumpkins are an important symbol of the season. Additionally, we celebrate and enjoy them all Fall long, as we decorate with them, play with them, and enjoy pumpkin recipes of all kinds. And, if that’s not enough, there are several other pumpkin holidays, too. Among them are National Pumpkin Day, and National Pumpkin Pie Day.
You won’t want to miss a single one of these fun holidays. So, have your calendar out as you read this article. Then, you will wait in anxious anticipation for each pumpkin holiday to arrive!
Here are the holidays, big and small, where you can enjoy and play with pumpkins:
You might say that Fall is one big pumpkin holiday. It begins with the harvest. To many, it’s a timeless tradition to take the family out to a pumpkin farm to pick the perfect orange orb. And it’s next to impossible to go home with just one. We take them home to decorate with them, to play with them, to carve them, and to eat them! And pumpkins are on display seemingly everywhere you look. Pumpkin festivals and weigh-offs are held all over the country as we enjoy the last festivals of the year.
Can you think of any other fruit or vegetable that is so much fun!?
It’s time to show off your artistic skills. Pull out your carving knives and patterns. It’s time to carve a pumpkin for your front porch. Pumpkin carving is a family affair. Everyone gets in on the act. But, first, you need to reach in and pull out the slimy guts. Then, depending on your skill level, you can carve a simple pumpkin face or an intrinsic and detailed face. Make a friendly or a scary one. It’s your call.
While the art project is underway, pop the pumpkin seeds into the oven and bake them with a generous amount of salt for a real treat. And, don’t forget the apple cider!
Halloween is the ultimate pumpkin holiday. And, pumpkins are the ultimate symbol of this fun and scary event. Halloween is actually a month-long event leading up to the big day. We begin by decorating inside of our homes. Then, we turn to filling the front yard with decorations and lights. Certainly, lots of pumpkins will find a home among the many decorative scenes.
As we progress through the month, we visit pumpkin farms filled with pumpkin displays and fun activities. And, we attend pumpkin festivals and weigh-offs in the hope of witnessing the official weighing of a new world record giant pumpkin. Then, as Halloween nears, there are parties galore for kids and adults. And guess what’s on the treats table!? Why, pumpkin goodies, of course!
Thanksgiving is all about the four F’s: family, food, football, and fun. And, when it comes to food, wow can we pack it in on this holiday! Turkey and all of the trimmings are the main course of this feast. However, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, and pumpkin cookies are featured on the dessert tray. Whatever you do, don’t forget the whipped cream.
Spend some time on our site exploring the first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims shared with the Native American Indians and the foods that were on the menu. Then, grab some of our pumpkin recipes to try this Thanksgiving.
Not to be outdone, Canadians celebrate their own Thanksgiving. This holiday was first celebrated in 1879, over two centuries after the Pilgrims held their first harvest feast. It is held in mid-October. Canadians do not celebrate the Pilgrim and Indians’ first feast in 1621. Rather, Canadian Thanksgiving celebrates the bountiful harvest. And on this holiday, pumpkins take center stage just like they do in the United States.
Now here’s an interesting fact about this holiday: Just like the United States, the day after Canadian Thanksgiving is Black Friday. So, Canadians get over a month’s head start on their Christmas holiday shopping!
Our enjoyment of pumpkins does not end as we head into the Christmas holiday season. Rather, one might say Christmas is a little bit of a pumpkin holiday… just a little.
We know of two Christmas songs that mention pumpkins in the lyrics. Do you know what they are? We’ll give you a hint for one of them. The lyrics are: “I met a man who lived in Tennessee. He was headed for Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie.” We will let you figure out the second song all by yourself!
And, just like on Thanksgiving, pumpkin has a big presence on the dessert table.
The guy or gal who was inspired to put pumpkins and cheesecake together is a culinary genius. The blend of tastes results in a phenomenal dessert. So, the guy or gal who created National Cheesecake Day is also a genius. He gives us yet another opportunity to celebrate our beloved orange orb. This is a fabulous pumpkin holiday.
The timing is perfect. This holiday is strategically placed in the middle of October when the harvest is in and our interest in anything pumpkin is at a peak. And lucky for you, we’ve got several pumpkin cheesecake recipes for you try.
We enjoy pumpkins in many, many ways. As a matter of fact, no fruit, vegetable, or flower is more versatile and enjoyed than pumpkins. From Fall to Thanksgiving, we use them to decorate and carve. Also, we play with them in many ways. Finally, we use them in countless recipes. So, it is only fitting that National Pumpkin Day exists to honor and celebrate our beloved pumpkins.
Of all the ways we use pumpkins, the many ways we play with them are unique. For example, at parties, we play pumpkin games like Pumpkin Bowling and Ring Around the Pumpkin. We even turn giant pumpkins into boats and race them around the lake. The only limits to playing with them are our imagination and creativity.
Make pumpkins part of your day. Use National Pumpkin Day to celebrate and enjoy pumpkins in as many ways as you can. This is guaranteed to be a fun holiday.
Food holidays are some of America’s favorite holidays. Why!? simply, because we can celebrate the day with our favorite foods. And pumpkins are one of our favorite foods. So, it’s only fitting that there’s a holiday to celebrate and enjoy pumpkin pie. Today, the only question in your mind should be how many slices will you eat!?
What amazes us is that this holiday is celebrated on the same day as Christmas. Certainly, this is proof that pumpkins are an inseparable part of Christmas.
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Pumpkin Recipes – Indeed, over 140 recipes and still growing
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TGN’s Garden Recipes – You grow them all season. Now, you cook and bake your harvest.
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Holiday Recipes – All sorts of recipes for all sorts of holidays.
