Every year, my father-in-law grows pumpkins, and as they're just starting to form, he carves the names of each of his grandchildren into the individual pumpkins. Some years they work brilliantly, and some years they don't. This year, Aidan and Cole's most definitely did.
When the kids were smaller, he would hide their pumpkins down on the farm where he and my mother-in-law live in Southern Minnesota. We'd bundle them up and send them out into the fields to choose a pumpkin to pick. It was pretty magical the first time, when they got out there only to find pumpkins with their names on it.
{Aidan in the meadow at the farm, finding her first pumpkin, at age 2}
Speaking of things that have gone, and things that are here, I'm so happy that Papa still makes the pumpkins for my now 10- and 13-year-old kids.
I can guarantee you when they walk through the door after school the magic of seeing their names will still remind them not only of what an awesome and creative grandpa they have, but of how much they are loved.
And the shrunken head apple faces he made aren't too shabby either:
I'm posting a giveaway tomorrow, so check back! I wanted to wish all of you a safe and happy Halloween a bit early.
And thank YOU Papa, for such an enduring and endearing tradition.
Johanna Dietrich says
This is such a fantastic idea. I wish I had a pumpkin patch just to try out the name-carving-thing! So yeah, I might settle with a rip-off of the shrunken head apple faces instead …
Madeline St Onge says
What a great papa, thos pumpkins are so cool
Kelli says
That is such a great thing Papa does! My dad calls every day to see what the dogs are doing, not what the kids are doing.
Myra says
They have a wonderful Grandpa. Thanks for sharing this.
Kathy Floen says
What a sweet tradition! 🙂 I love it! 🙂 I also thought the pic of Aidan at 2 was adorable! 🙂
anna says
i love the pumpkin idea!!!
also, do you know the name of the white pumkins? what are they called? they must be of a special variety, no?
thanks!
a
TracyBzz says
A pumpkin with your name one it!? How cool!
Petra from NL says
Family rituals are the best!
I still think fondly of things my father used to do for us kids, looooong time ago now ;-))
Angie says
That is VERY sweet! Love the shrunken head apple faces.
Tinkersdamn says
This yanked every heartstring! Little Aidan looks an awful lot like my little girl right now, and we just carved our pumpkins today. She was so excited to see it transform into a face… and did I get a picture? Of course not. X/
lynne moore says
That is cool. We still have to get our pumpkins. We wait ’till the last minute because they dry out and mold so fast here.
How are those apple faces made? I make shrunken heads from pealed apples, but I’ve never seen an apple mask. Cool.
cathy says
I have no idea how he did it! i’ll have to ask him!
Megan says
My mom’s gardener friend does this for ‘a living’–her business is called poetic pumpkins: http://poeticpumpkins.blogspot.com/
Check it! She has some darn cute ones!
Heidi says
“When the kids were smaller, he would hide their pumpkins down on the farm where he and my mother-in-law live in Southern Minnesota. We’d bundle them up and send them out into the fields to choose a pumpkin to pick. It was pretty magical the first time, when they got out there only to find pumpkins with their names on it.”
That seriously made me tear up! Can you imagine someday they will tell the story of the magical pumpkins to their own kids. 🙂
Susan Dingess says
Love the named pumpkins! It is such a great tradition.
{vicki} says
What a cool idea
Sonja Chandler says
Now THAT is one creative, priceless tradition!! I absolutely love it!
Erica Hettwer says
Awww, my dad does that, too! 😀
Shirley says
Those pumpkins are so cool and that apple face is so fun! Sounds like a great man.
Sandra Lomas says
this is way cool! i’d never seen this done withe the names on the pumpkins.
what a great grandfather. he is truly making memories.
thanks for sharing.
kristin kanner says
This is so sweet it made me teary eyed!
chair says
Those Halloween pimkin pictures look awesome!
Cindy says
How do you do the apple face?! That is so creepy/cool! 🙂 I also thought that the name carved pumpkins were very sweet. That will be a special memory for the family to cherish for many many years. -Cindy
Cigar Reviews
urinary track infection says
That’s a wonderful tradition. You have a very creative family. Somehow, I started to miss my old man.
security system says
What a thoughtful man he is. And the way he puts names on those pumpkins is so cute and very creative.