The all-important pumpkin

For Americans ,the simple pumpkin has come to symbolize everything that is important and meaningful about autumn. Everyone knows it is autumn when pumpkins begin to appear at roadside stands. Soon afterward, pumpkins will decorate doorsteps at Halloween. Then they'll be part of Thanksgiving holiday decorations. They'll also be baked into breads and pies. Farmers will know winter is near when morning frost is on the pumpkin. Every autumn there are pumpkin festivals held all over the country. They are a type of harvest celebration. Pumpkin queens and kings are named. Prizes are given for the biggest or the best-decorated pumpkin, or the best tasting pumpkin pie.With the help of fertilizers some pumpkins have been grown to the size of a small car.
Pumpkins are popular with children, not so much for eating as for making jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. Most Americans do not realize that this tradition comes all the way from Ireland and Scotland. It originated over 2000 years ago with the Celts who lived in what is now France and the British Isles. They celebrated a harvest festival on October 31. It was a joyous occasion, but also in some ways a sad one. It marked the beginning of the long,dark,cold winter. They believed that in the darkness, the spirits of the dead walked upon the earth. Great fires were built on the hills to protect the people from bad spirits. People hollowed out turnips, a root plant, and put a candle inside. They carried them if they went outside to protect themselves from evil spirits.
When the settlers came to America, they brought their customs with them. They did not have turnips, so they used pumpkins instead. Today, of course, children look forward to Halloween and the carving of pumpkins. First the pumpkins is hollowed out and the seeds and pulp taken out. Then funny or scary faces are carved into the side. In the evening, a candle is put inside and the face glows in the dark. Sometimes pumpkins are painted and decorated. As Halloween approached, jack-o-lanterns pop up on doorsteps everywhere.
After Halloween, Americans look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkins and corn plants are often used decorations during this time. They symbolize autumn and the spirit of the season. It is a time of giving thanks for the harvest for the family, and for all the good things that families enjoy.