A teal pumpkin on a doorstep signals that the homeowner offers non-food trinkets and treats that are safe for all trick-or-treaters. Children with food allergies may carry around a teal pumpkin pail to let grown-ups know of their condition. While trick or treating seems like a holiday tailor-made for all kids, Click on Detroit reminds us not all children have a positive reaction to candy and costumes.
A pumpkin that is tan—or sometimes even considered a light of shade of orange—is naturally occurring. It’s actually a squash and it’s known as the Long Island Cheese pumpkin. Because its flattened shape kind of evokes the shape of a cheese wheel, the Long Island Cheese pumpkin is so named and it has become a symbol of fall with many people decorating their porches and yards with these aesthetically-pleasing pumpkins. Just as a pink ribbon has come to represent Breast Cancer Awareness, so now does a pink pumpkin. If you see a house with a pink pumpkin outside its door, this could mean that someone inside is either a survivor, has been affected by breast cancer, or is offering a symbol of solidarity to those going through a diagnosis. It’s typically the Australian Blue pumpkin that you’ll notice has a bit of a blue tint.
“The efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID really disrupted children’s lives, and they’re paying the price,” Dr. Lynn Bufka said. Dark green pumpkins have probably been made to present that way genetically. In color psychology, black can symbolize a lot of different things including mystery, power, sophistication, and of course, death. In the context of Halloween, black is most often meant to signify darkness, death and generally spooky vibes. “Pumpkins are ripe for the picking in one single month of the year and October coincided with Samhain,” energy healers Emily and Jessica Leung ofLove Twintuitivesexplain of the Gaelic holiday.
Teal pumpkins to indicate that their house is food-allergen friendly, and that non-food treats such as glow stick or stickers will be given out to trick-or-treaters instead of food – which some kids might not be able to eat. If you see a child carrying a blue pumpkin subdus restaurant bucket to collect candy, it may signify the child is on the autism spectrum. According to Newsweek, this unofficial initiative started last year with Alicia Plumer’s viral post. She’s the mother of a child with autism and was inspired by the Teal Pumpkin Project.
Families may choose to practice trick-or-treating with Autistic children prior to Halloween, and neighbors can truly help by providing a trusted place to practice if asked, Dr. Scott adds. Focusing on providing a range of Halloween treats, like low-allergy risk items and non-edible treats, can help as well. This pumpkin trend was started by the Food Allergy Research & Education organization to help remind us that some kids have serious food allergies. With a holiday that centers heavily on candy, it’s important to remember keep in mind that not every kid can eat every treat. “At first, it seemed like such a lonely road because nobody that I knew had food allergies, nor their children,” says Priscilla, adding that she stumbled upon FARE after seeing a solitary teal pumpkin display while walking an area far from home. That first glance would end up leading her to become a national ambassador for the organization, sharing how she and her husband Zack Munoz have since created an allergen-free safe haven for Zacky in their home in Pasadena, California.
Many of the teal pumpkins that you see usually signify that the person carrying a container of that color has a food allergy, or that the person who lives in the home where the teal pumpkin is displayed has food allergies. The color can also signify that the home gives candy and treats that are allergy-friendly for those who might need special pieces. Popularized through the “Teal Pumpkin Project,” this color is used to make trick-or-treating safer and more inclusive for children with food allergies.
They also don’t indicate anything specific in terms of health concerns or allergies. Some varieties of pumpkins—or squash, really—aren’t orange at all but stay yellow, naturally. These varieties may include hybrids like the Mellow Yellow or Sunlight pumpkin. They don’t have a meaning behind them, they’re just a special variety of pumpkin which don’t have the distinctive orange colour we’re used to seeing. Purple pumpkin – Raises awareness for those who could have epilepsy and suffer from seizures. Like clockwork, officials and volunteers at Mothers Against Drunk Driving work hard to bring these sad facts to light.
Inspired by the success of the Teal Pumpkin Project, mother Laura Slatter decided to start her own in an attempt to bring awareness to her son’s disability. Levi had childhood apraxia of speech, a motor speech disorder that made it difficult for him to talk. He struggled as a child, and seeing this, Laura decided she wanted to help bring awareness to this issue as well as many others.
