As we pray and wait for my son’s food allergies to be healed, it is an honor to share more information about the Teal Pumpkin Project. God has provided our family opportunities to use our son’s situation for good, and we are trying to steward it well. We are less than two years into this unwanted world of allergies, so we are still learning. Hopefully, though, the tips and tricks we’ve learned so far will help your family whether you suffer from food allergies or not.
What is it?
A teal pumpkin set out on a porch during Trick or Treat on Halloween signals to families that there are safe options for trick or treaters who have food allergies. This means that you may have candy but may also have other non-candy items as well.
Non-Candy Trick or Treat Options:
-glow sticks
-bubbles
-self-contained fruit such as apples, oranges, or bananas
-temporary tattoos
-Halloween favors (think spider rings, plastic pumpkins, etc.)
-stickers
-silly sunglasses
If you’d like to participate, you can also click here to print signage for your house or save graphics to share on your social media.
Why should I participate?
To be honest, I’ll be the first to admit that I have not participated in the Teal Pumpkin Project before. Without much thought, I bought a giant bag of mixed candy, turned on my porch light, and doled out handfuls of chocolates to trick or treaters year after year. My heart has been tugged on so much lately about all that I didn’t do earlier for other kids in this particular area, but I’m so thankful for grace!
Now that we know more about how life-threatening certain foods are for some kids, we participate to give them a chance to celebrate a kid-centered holiday as safely and normally as possible. Halloween, in particular, can be full of wonder and childhood magic, and giving kids who have food allergies the chance to take part in the holiday without worry is a kind gesture.
As a parent, I appreciate homes that set out teal pumpkins because it allows me the chance to enjoy the moment as well. Families with food allergies will tell you that social settings, particularly those with toddlers who do not yet understand in our case, can be tremendously stressful. To err on the side of dramatics, it feels like a Halloween situation would be voluntarily walking house to house and trick or treating for a hand grenade: you’re not sure when it will explode, but it has the potential to do a lot of harm. Our eyes are constantly searching the scene, wondering if that mystery object our child just picked up is dangerous if they consumed it or trying to explain to your child that they can’t eat the same thing as their friends because it will make them sick. The Teal Pumpkin Project was created for children, but it is a gift to parents as well.
Who can participate?
Anyone! Everyone! Ideally, even one teal pumpkin would spark conversations in neighborhoods about the project, and then the number of inclusive homes would increase every year providing kids of all types the opportunity to celebrate Halloween. If you do not participate in passing out candy or take your kids out Trick or Treating, you can let others know about the project in your conversations.
Where can I go to find out more information?
To find more information about food allergies as well as more information about the Teal Pumpkin Project, go to this website.
We’d love to hear from you if you have participated in the Teal Pumpkin Project or have your own tips and tricks for how to safely navigate Halloween!
