Pumpkins on doorsteps

[T4tomo]

I'm definitely seeing around our parts and new pumpkin trend. In recent yeas, people were carving pumpkins and putting them outside their front doors etc.

This year I'm seeing lots of little doorstep piles different sized and coloured pumpkins and squashes artistically formed into sort of gourd homage to a cairn.

one of my neighbour has just 2 in a rather sad "pile", the other has about 7.

this is just off the web for those unable to visualise what I have attempted to describe:

I blame tickety-tock or Instagram

 

[Dogtrousers]

I remember seeing similar displays on houses in upstate New York about 30 years ago. So probably a US import (like much of the rest of haloween).

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Only done that once when my daughter was about 10

we were staying at her Gran's house for half term - her gran is from a very rural part of Austria and grew up during the war - think girls hiding in caves "because of soldiers"

anyway - she doesn;t like waste so insisted that we used the insides of the pumpkin
so we all made Pumpkin soup - which was lovely - and I carved the rind

That was fun - but most of the ones nowadays just go to waste as far as I can tell
which seems a shame - but probably profitable for some farmers

 

[T4tomo]

I've carved them out into a lantern when my kids were younger. When I was a kid we used turnips or swedes as we had a ready supply as we grew them for winter food for the cows (I lived on a farm).

Pumpkins are much quicker and easier to carve than turnips!

Re waste: I have toasted the removed pumpkin seeds, which tasted fine as a beer snack. Obviously on a yorkshire farm the hollowed out turnip flesh was cooked and served up for dinner.

 

[Dogtrousers]

On the subject of lanterns (as opposed to displays of pumpkins on doorsteps) I remember scrumping sugar beet for this purpose.

 

[markemark]

It's the easiest guide to show the kids you are open for business for trick or treating.

 

[Gwylan]

The waste upsets me. The energy and resources that goes into producing them.

Along with the black plastic tut that has been made and brought from China and will be in landfill by the end of November.

I'm anti Halloween and pro All Saints. It's my Protestant upbringing.

Well, I said. I'll go away and hide now.

 

[markemark]

The waste upsets me. The energy and resources that goes into producing them.

Along with the black plastic tut that has been made and brought from China and will be in landfill by the end of November.

I'm anti Halloween and pro All Saints. It's my Protestant upbringing.

Well, I said. I'll go away and hide now.

My kids when younger loved. There’s lots of things people do that they really enjoy that is wasteful. This is just another.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Better round here

 

[Beebo]

The waste upsets me. The energy and resources that goes into producing them.

Is it any different to Christmas trees or fresh flowers?

 

[Psamathe]

Is it a coded message? I've never had kids so I'm not familiar with current conventions. When I was a kid, for "trick or treat" we'd visit every house on the (and neighbouring) streets. But for years I've never had any trick or treaters knocking on my front door. My understanding is these days trick or treat is with parental accompaniment and only to houses of other families with similar aged kids.

So is the pumpkin pile a sign that the property is open to trick or greaters?

Ian

 

[Time Waster]

I remember seeing similar displays on houses in upstate New York about 30 years ago. So probably a US import (like much of the rest of haloween).

What is wrong with carving a swede (the vegetable not the Scandinavian)? That is the British way not the foreign pumpkins!!

 

[Time Waster]

You only go to houses with decorations round here. It is no code just commonsense way to not waste your time. Would you rather knock on doors and wait for nobody to come or go to the next decorated house and get some treat? We go round the whole village and that could only happen by ignoring the undecorated. Mind you there are so many decorated and we miss quite a few. I think some who are into it and show it with decorations but do not get many visitors due to being off the main routes. However people always pass on where to go to each other even if they do not know each other. It is a very social night indeed. Shows the best of people it really does.

I know people who buy a lot of treats even though they do not get many visitors due to being off the route. We used to try and go everywhere and make the effort to visit them. It is a really good walk too!! our dog gets a right good walk and we end up doing probably 10k steps just on the halloween trick or treating route. Our village is the first place I have ever lived at where they have gone to town on the whole thing!!

 

[annedonnelly]

Along with the black plastic tut that has been made and brought from China and will be in landfill by the end of November.

I watched neighbours putting up the plastic tat on the 31st a couple of years ago. The young girl was obviously excited as she helped her grandfather. The following morning was bin day so before 7am dad and grandfather took it all down and put it in the bin. Shocking waste.

 

[Reynard]

I buy a small pumpkin every year, but it's intended for soup.

So as an alternative, I have some ceramic jack-o-lantern tea light things (bought many moons ago) that I still use.