Fall offers a bounty of decorating options that go beyond the traditional pumpkin
By Kyle Valentini
August 22, 2012
478
The pumpkin is certainly the star of the fall season, especially as we near Halloween. The traditional jack-o-lantern has long been a mainstay in holiday décor and can be fun for kids to carve or decorate.
In the 1880s, the carved pumpkin became a traditional holiday decoration and probably stemmed from the practice of carving turnips and potatoes that arrived a generation earlier when Irish immigrants came to America. Not a means of decorating but rather a way to ward off evil spirits, the Irish use of carving faces into root vegetables evolved into a much less serious matter and is still in use today, with pumpkins serving as the canvas.
Today, however, pumpkin carving reaches far beyond the traditional scary face that served to frighten evil spirits away. The pumpkin has truly become an artists medium, with painstakingly detailed carvings on multiple levels of flesh to the delight of the viewers. When lit from within with a candle or small light, they can be stunning from near or afar.
Prior to the tradition of carving pumpkins, the much-adored cucurbit was seen as a symbol of harvest and rightfully so. Big, heavy and full of seeds the oft-orange fruit was and is a highly nutritious food source. Both the flesh and the seeds are edible and many a tasty fall meal includes the pumpkin in both sweet and savory dishes.
When it comes to seasonal decorating, the pumpkin has plenty of company. Gourds, which serve no culinary use, are lovely in shape and come in a variety of colors that are reminiscent of the changing season. Left alone, dried or gilded with a coat of metallic paint, gourds can be a nice addition to a fall tabletop arrangement.
The numerous varieties of squash can stand in as decorations and later be used in the kitchen. Most squash have a long shelf life if stored properly. Every shape and size, as well as a multitude of colors, are represented in the squash family, which includes the delicious butternut or the spooky Swan White acorn. A simple bale of straw can serve as a base for decorations and be put to use later as mulch for the garden or flower beds.
Simply placing a variety of pumpkins, gourds and squash together creates a delightful arrangement that involves no carving and might be more suitable for your home. Embellish the look with stylish Indian corn that comes in the dark, muted shades of autumn.
For an especially classy look, decorate using all one color. Choose a theme that includes all white or green. The classically-shaped Cinderella pumpkin, once only grown in France, is popular here as well and comes in shades that are a deep and robust red.
Most of us dont grow our own pumpkins, gourds, squash and corn, and we certainly dont bale our own straw. Half the fun of decorating comes from acquiring the goods. The region is full of farms and even pick-your-own fields that can become a part of your familys autumn traditions.
A crisp morning junket to a local farm might include a hayride and an opportunity to see how truly stunning acres and acres can look when planted with the simple pumpkin or a gourd or squash cousin.
Today, more than ever, unusual and nearly forgotten varieties are grown as consumers have rediscovered these lovely elements that can be a source of food but more often a way to welcome autumn with a unique display.
Completely compostable, there is no reason to wastefully discard your fall decorations when the time comes to remove them. Simply throw them on the compost pile or take them to a municipal compost pile where they can cycle their way back to the soil.
