Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What's the first thing you think when you see a pumpkin trail event?

94 replies

Concestor · 16/09/2021 14:39

If you see a pumpkin trail being held in October half term, do you think it's related to Halloween or do you think of something else, and if so, what?

Help me resolve a discussion!

OP posts:
lannistunut · 17/09/2021 06:52

@merrymouse

If you call pumpkins American, you really should also say the same about potatoes, I think they appeared here at a similar time

Except that pumpkins haven’t caught on in the same way as potatoes. Potatoes are a staple part of our diet, but U.K. supermarkets and greengrocers only really tend go big on pumpkins at Halloween.

But they 'go big' on pumpkins at Halloween because it coincides with the harvest, that is why pumpkins are a Halloween thing in the first place!

Autumn was invented before Halloween is my point Grin

Simplelobsterhat · 17/09/2021 06:59

My first thought with pumpkins events would be Halloween but the reason pumpkins are associated with Halloween is because they are autumnal, do you're both right in a way. I'm curious to know the context and why it matters?

I think the only time I've heard of a pumpkins trail before is last Halloween when the village encouraged people to display pumpkins or pictures of them for children to go round and spot, rather than trick or treating (because of covid) which was nice I thought and not commercial at all. There is however also a trend for pumpkins patches to pyo or places offering pumpkin carving events as a Halloween event in half term, and i guess some of these could easily incorporate a trail.

merrymouse · 17/09/2021 07:07

But they 'go big' on pumpkins at Halloween because it coincides with the harvest, that is why pumpkins are a Halloween thing in the first place!

If that were the case we would have a long tradition of eating pumpkin based food in the Autumn. However other squashes like butternut are more popular for cooking and are available year round.

I suspect the problem with pumpkins is that preparation and transport is too much of a faff if you just want to eat something. They are good for carving, but that is a Halloween thing.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
toomuchlaundry · 17/09/2021 07:16

I would assume it was something like a NT place that children had to find pictures of pumpkins round the grounds. Have similar trails in Easter holidays but pictures of Easter Eggs.

BlackShadowCat · 17/09/2021 07:19

I think seasonal foods aren't so big in the Uk, but where I live apples and pumpkin flavored food are big in autumn. Starbucks do a pumpkin spice latte. I guess British people might think it's a Halloween thing, but I don't think it's ever been marketed as such, it's just an autumn thing because pumpkins are harvested in autumn.

ArblemarchTFruitbat · 17/09/2021 07:20

I've never heard of these, but any event involving pumpkins in October I'd assume was hallowe'en related.

BlackShadowCat · 17/09/2021 07:21

It is feeling like a bit of a chicken or an egg situation though! 🎃

HeronLanyon · 17/09/2021 07:22
In case anyone wants 7 mins watch if what many of us are including - the ‘David’s dead’. I’d forgotten it starts with Tiffany saying ‘I Like your hair’ every single line is comedy gold (and shocking).
HeronLanyon · 17/09/2021 07:23

Oh I am so sorry very obvs wrong thread. But a good laugh anyway.

ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife · 17/09/2021 07:26

I’d think: thank goodness my children are too old for all that shit

merrymouse · 17/09/2021 07:33

I think seasonal foods aren't so big in the Uk, but where I live apples and pumpkin flavored food are big in autumn.

I know that apples are seen as an autumn thing in the US, but I assume they are available year round. I think we only tend to regard food as seasonal when it has restricted availability like Seville oranges or home grown strawberries.

I have seen lots of Instagram pictures of people going to pick apples with their children in the US, but that isn’t really a thing in the U.K. You pick apples if you have a tree. I think the relationship with preserving is slightly different. It’s something you just do because you like cooking, not because you are worried about a survival situation.

I agree that pumpkin spice lattes are seasonal, but that’s about marketing. I suspect the ingredients have a long sell by date! They are sold in the U.K. but I would guess that the seasonal hot chocolates are more popular.

FirstCoffee · 17/09/2021 07:41

I would assume an autumn event, not necessarily for Halloween. I would definitely be interested to see what it was as I am one of those people that enjoys decorating for autumn and not just Halloween.

lannistunut · 17/09/2021 07:45

@BlackShadowCat

It is feeling like a bit of a chicken or an egg situation though! 🎃
Autumn definitely came first because God had to create heaven and earth before the people could start dying to become the souls remembered at Halloween...
NerrSnerr · 17/09/2021 07:47

We live near farms and they have down Pumpkin trails for years. They're a half term activity for primary school children and go down well. I have no issues with the local PYO/ farm shop making money from this- it's just a bit of fun and it's nice to support local business.

Last year there wasn't a trail but you could book a time to pick pumpkins which was also nice.

HunkyPunk · 17/09/2021 07:57

Pumpkins are an autumn thing, so pumpkins can also just be related to autumn rather than just Halloween.

But what would you be getting your pumpkin for? In the uk, at any rate, no-one does anything much with pumpkins apart from carve them for Halloween. I would assume that a pumpkin trail was specifically for kids to choose a pumpkin to carve.

LubaLuca · 17/09/2021 08:02

I'd assume it was connected to Halloween, children going around a field in some organised way to choose a pumpkin to take home and carve.

I envy the youth of today. We used to carve a swede when we were kids Confused

languagelover96 · 17/09/2021 08:06

That it is almost Halloween. I love pumpkins. Also a slice of America too.

Tal45 · 17/09/2021 08:11

What exactly are you going to do?? Just walk through a field of pumpkins? Pointless unless you're going to actually pick one which you would only do for halloween so to me it only makes sense as a halloween event. It might be on for a few weeks though and all the good ones gone before it gets close to halloween which is why I wouldn't do it. Last year it was almost impossible to get a pumpkin 2 or 3 days before halloween.

WhiskeyNeverStartsToTasteNice · 17/09/2021 08:14

Like others, I wouldn't be 100% sure what was involved, but would definitely assume it was Halloween related.

liveforsummer · 17/09/2021 08:16

@Tal45

What exactly are you going to do?? Just walk through a field of pumpkins? Pointless unless you're going to actually pick one which you would only do for halloween so to me it only makes sense as a halloween event. It might be on for a few weeks though and all the good ones gone before it gets close to halloween which is why I wouldn't do it. Last year it was almost impossible to get a pumpkin 2 or 3 days before halloween.
It could take on many forms - might not even be real pumpkins. The gruffalo trail isn't real grudfalos for example. Often trails have clues, questions or facts to gather. Our local farm shop does the most amazing spiced pumpkin chutney at this time of year though so I always make the effort to go and visit/purchase
Kitkat151 · 17/09/2021 08:18

Lots of Christian/religious people will not celebrate Halloween....however an autumn event would be ok to join in.....so by advertising an autumn Event....the organisers are advertising to a wider population

Jumpingintosummer · 17/09/2021 08:21

I am wondering if you are a member of our local PTA… they love a trail…Rainbows, Pumpkins, Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, Euro’s…

mafted · 17/09/2021 08:22

The gruffalo trail isn't real grudfalos for example. GrinGrinGrin

user1495884211 · 17/09/2021 08:23

^This

It's like branding a Christmas thing as a winter celebration - to make money from people who wouldn't go to a Christmas event on religious or cultural principle

mafted · 17/09/2021 08:25

I'm imagining one of those jolly village events that they have in The Archers- like a scarecrow trail but where houses decorate using pumpkins not scarecrows.

Either that or like the events they have at my kids school which are Halloween themed but they don't want to mention Halloween so call them things like Pumpkin Party or Spooky Dance Hmm