When my family started doing its annual Great Pumpkin Day event, I only had one nephew and one niece. Now I’m up five. Total count: four nephews, two nieces.
I’m not being hyperbolic when I say being an aunt is the best thing in the world. I love these little ones as if they were my own. My idea to start Great Pumpkin Day was just an excuse to hang out with them. I was also at the point in life where I was learning one of my most value life lessons to date: No one knows what they’re doing and traditions can be started at any time, yes even by you.
What began as a family get-together has turned into an annual thing I think we all look forward to.
Great Pumpkin Day 2012
Here’s how it works. It’s so simple. We just pick a Saturday in October that we all can meet at mom and dad’s house. We dress up in costumes (optional), do fun fall stuff, eat pumpkin everything (not optional), and just hang out.
There’s no pressure to cook a huge meal, like Thanksgiving, or bring a list-full of presents, like Christmas. And it’s in fall, which, who are we kidding, is the best season of all. Again, no hyperbole.
We just had our Great Pumpkin Day 2017, and it was my favorite one yet. Here are some suggestions to get your own family holiday started.
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Keep the guest list small.
Part of what puts so much pressure on traditional traditions is that you have a whole contact list full of family and friends you want to see during them. That’s not a bad thing, but having a special day that you only share with a few people (like for us, it’s immediate family and grandparents only) no one can get shifty that you’re spending just an hour or two at their event before bouncing to another one. It also makes your nearest and dearest less likely to skip out on the event each year. It’s easier to send your regrets when you know a ton of people will be at the party and your presence won’t be missed that much.
Do it during the day.
Here’s why: It keeps the party flexible. We start at noon and it ends whenever we’re tired. You’re not trying to “make fetch happen” in a tight three-hour window at night when the mood has shifted and everyone’s thinking about going home or what they’re going to do later.
Have fun activities.
This takes you from hangout to holiday. We’ve done face painting, pumpkin carving, coloring, crafting, kickballing, apple bobbing, trick or treating, costume fashion showing, and, new this year thanks to the addition of Justin to the family, a piñata.
Stay open to anything.
Ugh. Other holidays are a pain when there are expectations involved. So, like, don’t have any. A general theme is fine, and planning ahead is necessary, but anything goes. It’s your holiday. So about that piñata. I love Justin’s family, and during a recent birthday party for his mom they had a piñata filled with little plastic bottles of liquor and lottery tickets. Oh shit, what a fun idea! We stole their idea but used kid friendly Halloween candy instead. Who knows what we’ll do next year? Maybe a kid piñata and an adult piñata? (Yes!) Spontaneity is the fun of it.
Take SO many photos.
My greatest Great Pumpkin Day regret? I didn’t take a million photos every year! I wish I had a picture album for each edition so we could see how much the kids and our family has grown year to year.
After all, time flies when you’re having fun.
