National Pumpkin Day 2023: National Pumpkin Day is observed on October 26. Pumpkins aren’t just fun to decorate with at Halloween. Pumpkins are one of the best places to get beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that the body turns into vitamin A. They are also full of fibre, potassium, and vitamin C. Enjoy some on National Pumpkin Day, and don’t forget to carve them.
WHAT ARE SOME HOLIDAYS THAT ARE RELATED TO NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY?
Halloween
If it weren’t for Halloween, we wouldn’t give pumpkin pie a second thought. Other than maybe the Smashing Pumpkins, Halloween is the best thing that has ever happened to these big, juicy fruits and vegetables.
Thanksgiving
Pumpkins get another bit of attention every year during Thanksgiving. Late November is the start of pumpkin season, when everything tastes like pumpkin. Pumpkin pies are the traditional Thanksgiving treat.
Autumnal Equinox
When the calendar turns to fall, pumpkins appear out of nowhere in stores. Oh, and pumpkin patches show up. And we all start to watch Charles Brown’s The Great Pumpkin. Pumpkins may be the best way to tell that fall has come.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY
There are many types of gourds, such as cucumbers, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, watermelons, and zucchini. A lot of people don’t know that they are fruits and not veggies. These plants are from Mexico and Central America, but they now grow on six continents. They have lived in North America for 5,000 years.
The Western Hemisphere is where pumpkins were first found. In the 1500s, French explorer Jacques Cartier went to the St. Lawrence region of North America and said he found what the French called “gros melons.” The name was first put into English as “pompions,” which has since changed to “pumpkin.”
When Halloween and Thanksgiving come around, pumpkins are used for both food and fun. For many people in the US and Canada, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. Around Halloween, we also carve jack-o’-lanterns. However, the pumpkins we eat and the ones we cut usually come from two different kinds of winter squash. (Note: A gourd is usually not thought of as a squash that can be eaten.) Don’t forget that gourds have funny faces. Squash ends up on the dinner plate.
The link to Halloween goes back to the 1800s. The word “jack-o’-lantern” was first used in 1837, but the idea of a pumpkin that has been cut into a pumpkin wasn’t thought of until 1866.
Most of the time, farmers plant pumpkins in early July. The fruit (yes, fruit) needs earth that can keep water in it well. When there isn’t enough water or it’s too cold, crops don’t do well. Still, pumpkins are pretty tough and can grow new vines from broken ones if they need to.
People like to snack on even pumpkin seeds. They are often sold in grocery stores both hulled and half-hulled. Protein, magnesium, copper, and zinc can be found in large amounts in them.
ACTIVITIES ON NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY
Make a new dish at home
Today, try cooking pumpkin in a new way! Did you know you can get roasted hot pumpkin soup? How about a pumpkin smoothie? I think pickled pumpkin with spice would be great. Make your own!
Bake a pie, bread, or scone
Most of the time, pumpkin pies are baked around the holidays, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a tasty slice of pie whenever you want. If you think pie is only for Thanksgiving or Christmas, try a different pumpkin-based treat! Do you like pumpkin bread, muffins, or scones?
Craft your pumpkin
Have some fun with pumpkins by the end of October. Make a pumpkin with your favorite cartoon figure, saying, or picture carved into it. Put your design on paper, and then use a toothpick to make small holes in your pumpkin. This will transfer the pattern. Now you can start carving!
Punk For A Day Day 2023: Dates, History, Activities, Facts
SIGNIFICANCE OF PUMPKIN DAY
It is good for you to eat pumpkins
What did you know about pumpkins and how they can help your blood pressure? Eating foods that are high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, like pumpkins, may also lower your risk of stroke, keep your bone mineral density, stop muscle loss, and lower the chance of getting kidney stones. In addition, the vitamins and antioxidants in pumpkins may help keep the eyes from getting worse over time.
Pumpkins taste great
Pumpkins can be used in sweet, savory, spicy, or salty meals. They are really very flexible fruits. They can be boiled, steamed, baked, blended, or even fried. There are so many ways to cook pumpkins and so many tastes you can add to them that everyone will find something they like.
Crafting pumpkin shapes
Cutting up pumpkins is a fun thing to do with kids and something that everyone loves. Have a pumpkin-carving party with your neighbors and friends.
NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | October 26 | Thursday |
| 2024 | October 26 | Saturday |
| 2025 | October 26 | Sunday |
| 2026 | October 26 | Monday |
| 2027 | October 26 | Tuesday |
