The Great Pumpkin is real!
Well, he is at our house. He could be brought to life at your house, too!
For the past 12 years, while we are out trick-or-treating, The Great Pumpkin comes to our house and leaves a little prize for the kids under their pillows. I started the tradition when my son, who loves trick-or-treating, would come home and only pick out a couple of chocolate bars from his candy stash because that’s all he liked.
I wanted to make something fun for him to look forward to at the end of the day when the trick-or-treating was over. Plus, at the time he was also a huge Charlie Brown fan. When my candy-loving daughter was born I was so glad I had this tradition. It helped take her focus off wanting to eat her whole bag of candy in one night.
How does it work?
When the kids come home from trick-or-treating they run-up to their rooms to see what he brought them. It makes the night even more special. This year with some families not wanting to trick or treat, this may be a great new tradition to start!
I know you're curious, what kind of things does The Great Pumpkin bring? It has changed over the years but the big thing I try to remember is to keep it small. My now teenage son gets special snacks because he doesn’t eat much candy and a little gift card to Amazon or In-N-Out. My daughter has gotten beanie boos, books, mini Lego sets, dollar spot finds, and one year a Halloween Barbie.
Think about adding a little special twist Halloween this year! If your kids are a little older, have them make cards to leave on their pillow, asking The Great Pumpkin to come to their house, so he can leave a little something for them.
It’s a family tradition I am so glad we started and memories I know my kids will always treasure.
