National Pumpkin Day
National Pumpkin Day:
The National Pumpkin Day is celebrated every year on the 26th of October recognizing the yellow pumpkins, which make for the most famous Halloween decoration.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2023 | 26th October | Thursday | United States |
2023 | 26th October | Saturday | United States |
2025 | 26th October | Sunday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#NationalPumpkinDay
#PumpkinDay
Related: Other National Days Celebrated on October 26th:
Why National Pumpkin Day?
If you are in love with the yellow delight, the pumpkins, then you would be pleased to celebrate the National Pumpkin Day on October 26th every year. There is no recorded reason on why we celebrate the National Pumpkin Day and yet there is no reason why we shouldn’t, for this is among the most beloved of the gourds in the world. With the pumpkin grown in almost every continent, you cannot celebrate this day every year. They also make for the ideal storage crop to tackle winter and when the harvest is scarce. Filled with fiber and nutrients, it is justified to celebrate a day honoring the giant yet endearing pumpkins.
Pumpkins are also widely celebrated as part of the Thanksgiving and Halloween celebrations which is another reason why they are to be celebrated on the National Pumpkin Day.
How to celebrate the National Pumpkin Day
Also known as the autumn squash, the National Pumpkin Day celebrates the sweet-savory yellow fruit, which is the first sign of the upcoming autumn. And you definitely don’t want to be left behind in celebrating this unofficial holiday celebrating amazing food. Here are a few ways in which you can celebrate the National Pumpkin Day.
- Pick up a pumpkin and carve your own version of Jack-O-Lantern.
- You can paint pumpkins in your choicest of colors.
- Use pumpkins to decorate this Halloween at your workplace and home.
- Bake a pie with pumpkin and enjoy it with friends and family.
- Try making different recipes with the different parts of the pumpkins and share your recipes online using #NationalPumpkinDay.
- You can be part of the pumpkin chucking day in your locality which can be quite fun.
- You can watch movies that feature Pumpkins as the main part of it, some of the scary movies do have pumpkins playing a pivotal role.
- Lastly do spread the word about the best features of pumpkin on your social media account on the account of this day and remember to use #NationalPumpkinDay on your posts.
On this National Pumpkin Day let the creative artist within you take over and carve out your favorites on the beloved pumpkins. Do share your pictures with the carvings and tag them with #NationalPumpkinDay online.
Interesting facts about National Pumpkin Day:
On the National Pumpkin Day, let us get to know some interesting facts about this yellow giant and sweet fruit of Pumpkins. And if you are wondering whether it is a vegetable or a fruit, the yellow pumpkin falls under the fruits category for sure. We categorize them as vegetables because they give a savory taste. And there are more interesting facts you ought to know about pumpkins on this National Pumpkin Day.
- It was in the fairy tale of Cinderella that the pumpkins made their very first appearance. Earlier they were referred to as pompions which later evolved into pumpkins in the 17th
- There is also a theory that the word is derived from the Greek word “pepon” referring to the same fruit.
- The yellow pumpkins were first referred to as gros melons by a French Explorer in the year 1584.
- The pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns that you see nowadays came very late into the making. The initial ones were made by the Irish with turnips, potatoes while in England, large beets were used for the purpose.
- When the custom of the Irish made its way into America, they shifted to pumpkins instead of potatoes and turnips as the yellow fruit was easy to carve into.
- It was believed that lighting up embers within the beets or the jack-o-lanterns will ward off the evil spirits. This is probably why they are used mostly during the Halloween festivities.
- Pumpkins are a definitive part of the thanksgiving meals ever since it was served in the first of the Thanksgivings in the 1620s.
- Pumpkin is probably the only one to grow in almost every continent excluding the icy Antarctica of course.
- The country of the US alone produces nearly 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins every year.
- The heaviest of the pumpkin weighed about 2600 pounds and was from Germany, presented in the year 2016 and in the month of October.
- It was in the colonies where the pumpkin pie originated. It is made with full pumpkins, where the top has been removed along with the seeds. The pumpkins are then filled up with spices, milk, and honey and then baked to make the tasty pumpkin pie.
- The largest of the pumpkin pies was baked and it weighed about 3699 pounds.
- There are many different pumpkin-flavored products released over the years including coffee, cereals, and even food for dogs. The pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks introduced in the year 2003 is quite popular.
- The pumpkins are rich in iron and take as much as 3-4 months to grow. Even the flowers on the pumpkin vines can be consumed.
- From seeds, skin, leaves, and pulp every part of the pumpkin is edible. With nearly 90% water content, they are among the lowest-calorie foods.
History of the National Pumpkin Day:
There is no specific date or reason behind the celebration of the National Pumpkin Day. But what we do know is the history of pumpkins and how they have evolved so far. The Pumpkins have been in existence forever and were even part of the first of the Thanksgivings. The pumpkins have definitely come a long way since then, accepted as part of the Halloween celebrations and even as part of the Starbucks menu now. As far as the history of pumpkins go, we do know that they are more than 9000 years old and are native to the Western hemisphere. The pumpkin was grown by the Native Americans along the riverbanks along with beans and maize. They are also the most versatile of the gourd family and are loved by everyone.