Here's Why You May See Blue Pumpkins This Halloween

The scariest thing about Halloween shouldn’t be trick or treating. But for some kids the mere act of going up to a new house and speaking to strangers—or speaking at all—may be the scariest thing ever or not even possible. A new campaign is hoping to make things a little easier for those kids. If you see someone on your front porch carrying a blue pumpkin—or see a home with a blue pumpkin display—that is a sign that this particular trick-or-treater may be non-speaking or living with autism spectrum disorder. That means folks handing out candy shouldn’t expect them to yell “Trick or treat!” or say thank you.

Not every kid can handle saying “Trick or Treat!” let alone answering questions about their costumes or saying please and thank you for the candy that has been offered by a kind-hearted stranger. The blue pumpkins are a clever way to signal that to folks opening their homes, showing that the kid isn’t being rude, but is actually trying their best. It lets them engage in this rite of passage and bit of childhood fun without the emotional toll. 

It's unclear who first began using blue pumpkins as a conversation starter for autism education, but according to Good Housekeeping, it may have started with one Louisiana-based mom making a heartfelt plea for her child back in 2018. 

That mom, Alicia Plumer, took to Facebook with the hope that her community would come together so her son, who lives with autism, could take part in the Halloween fun, even though he is bigger and older than the average trick-or-treater. 

“Trick or Treat....the BLUE BUCKET...if you see someone who appears to be an adult dressed up to trick or treat this year carrying this blue bucket, he’s our son! His name is BJ & he is autistic," she wrote in a social media post. "While he has the body of a 21-year-old, he loves Halloween. Please help us keep his spirit alive & happy. So when you see the blue bucket share a piece of candy. Spread awareness! These precious people are not 'too big' to trick or treat."

Plumer’s story went viral and kicked off a grassroots campaign for carrying or displaying blue pumpkins to spark awareness and help kids feel included on this fun holiday. Now, a blue pumpkin on a porch signals that a home is welcoming for anyone on the autism spectrum, while a child carrying a blue pumpkin signals that the child may be living with autism or may be otherwise non-verbal. 

Of course, not everyone agrees that the blue pumpkin is a good thing. Some folks think kids may feel singled out by toting around a blue pumpkin while most other people have orange ones, which isn't very fun. Luckily there is an easy solution: To make sure every kid feels included in the Halloween joy, be patient with kids as they trick or treat whether they say the magic words or not, regardless of the color of their pumpkin candy bucket.