Alternatives for people with allergies

[DemonSlayerMau]

So what if someone's allergic to pumpkins? Say it isn't so right? I know the flesh of a pumpkin irritates my skin but touching the outside shell doesn't bother it one bit. I have the same problem handling squash.
Yet if someone loves Halloween, such an allergy can be a hinder to the person who wants to take part in the festivities.
What would the members of Halloween.com suggest to someone with a "pumpkin" allergy to do?
I'm thinking about wearing gloves this year when I carve if my pumpkins in my garden turn out. But some people might be severely allergic and can't even go near the pumpkin!
What I would suggest...if you're only mildly allergic, wear gloves.
If you're severely allergic, try carving a funkin or maybe experiment with carving other fruits or vegetables. Maybe start a new tradition by carving a watermelon, or reawaken the oldest tradition by carving a turnup or a beet before they had pumpkins to carve!
Any thoughts?

[Pumpkin_Man]

I never heard of anyone being alergic to pumpkins, but you never know. People are alergic to all kinds of things, including cats and dogs.

That reminds me of a really funny story when my younter sister and I were sneaking smokes. We were carving Halloween jack O'lanterns inour basement. My sister had some itching problems and thought she was alergic to pumpkins. She was sure she had a rash on her legs, and she pulled up her pant leg to show our mother, totaly forgetting that there was a pack of cigarettes hidden inher sock. My late brother, Jack had a laughing coniption, as did I. Of course, my sister was not amused as she was grounded for Halloween that year.

Mike

[MyersFan1]

Maybe instead of carving a pumpkin, you could paint it. That was none of the innards get on your skin to irritate it. I have seen some really cool painted pumpkins in the past, however it does require more artistic ability(something I don't have ).

[DemonSlayerMau]

Painting is definately fun to do.
I wonder what a carved watermelon would look like. I mean, it's a big fruit after all, you could easily make a scary face out of it I bet.
HAHA! I found one! This looks really cool!!!

There's a bunch of carved watermelons on Google. If anyone wants to try something different, try a watermelon. Now I want to!
Evidently the concept has been done before!

[adrian]

carve a turnip! its the original jack o lantern anyway

[DemonSlayerMau]

That's true. I don't think carving needs to be limited to pumpkins, although I quite enjoy the idea of carving pumpkins, I should try a turnip or a beet as well. I gotta say though I bet it's hard.
I even thought of the possibility of carving an apple. Carved apples could be like, a treat for the kids. They carve it, then they eat it.
If my pumpkins turn out though, I'll definately be carving the good ol' fashioned pumpkin.
But who's to say we can't open ourselves to new and exciting possibilities?
I love tradition, and I love new ideas. I don't think new ideas should replace traditional things, instead I think they should complement each other. The idea is to enjoy Halloween, not to fight over how to celebrate it! Besides, if people can come up with original costumes, why not original decorating ideas?

[Pumpkin_Man]

I think that watermelon looks really cool, and with a purple or blue light inside of it, it will have a very wierd glow to it.

BUT, since alergies as a group, is one of the health issues that I am not affected by, and since I am pretty much a stickler for tradition, I'm going to stidk with pumpkin jack o'lanterns.

Mike

[DemonSlayerMau]

I don't know for sure if I'm really allergic or not, the flesh of the pumpkin just irritates my skin. I'm still going to carve pumpkins unless I start breaking out in hives or blowing up like a balloon.
Most of my allergies are just nasal allergies though, and usually it's just thinks like dust, pollen and pet dander that irritate those. Doesn't stop me from owning a cat though. A few sneezes aren't going to stop me from owning a cat, and if my allergies were really that bad, I would get a siamese. Siamese are hypo-allergenic.
But this is really supposed to be about allergic alternatives for pumpkins. (Silly me and my obsession with cats!) I'll keep the blue and purple lighting effects as an idea, Pumpkin_man or perhaps even get one of those colored lights that was brought up in another thread.
I see no harm in trying new things. You can still carve your old fashioned pumpkins, and try something new as well. I like to harmonize tradition with modern ideas. After all, our modern ideas today could be old traditions tomorrow. I see nothing wrong with adding ideas and fun to Halloween. I'm not saying we should replace old traditions like pumpkin carving and trick or treating either though. In fact, I hope those traditions never die as long as the human race lives!

On another note...there may be some old traditions you know about that I don't Pumpkin Man and that being the case...they would be completely new to me!

[shanda]

I would have to take a couple of Benadryl and go for it!
No, seriously, you can create the design and have someone else do the cutting. I can see and enjoy a pumpkin I didn't carve as much as one I did.

[DemonSlayerMau]

I kind of figured maybe I'd try wearing gloves. The outside of the pumpkin doesn't bother me, and once I wash off the guts from my hands I'm usually fine.
But the watermelon carving seems intriguing now and definately going to be on my "gotta try this" list.
I'm still going to carve a pumpkin this year one way or another. Especially if my little pumpkin patch turns out.

[shanda]

Heck, If gloves will work, Go for it. I found a fantastic pumpkin site. I have used it for 3 years now. ExtremePumpkins.com. A lot of great ideas. Simple, but very creative. If you are going to rash up, make it a good one!!
Good luck on the pumpkin patch. We had too much rain here. Mine all rotted in the puddles.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I am more of a stickler for tradition, DemonSlayer, but that does not mean that all modern ideas are bad ones. I recently started using plastic jack o'lanterns for my speakers in the livingroom and diningroom because I can light them up just by turning on my stereo. I don't consider that as much as a "tradition" per se but rather a part of the old tradition of decorating for Halloween.

And regardless of my love for tradition, that watermelon on that photo really does look very 'old world' Halloween to me. I also have a "tradition" of going for a motorcycle ride at the stroke of Midnight on Halloween night (the witching hour). I usualy go down Old Route 66 through a few cemeteries, and check out all the decorations on various houses. It's a lot of fun, and it didn't start until I started riging motorcycles.

Mike

[DemonSlayerMau]

That sounds like fun. Actually it reminds me of a Christmas tradition me and my family used to have. At least, before my parents divorced. When I was little, every year we'd drive around and look at people's decorations and displays.
Now I can't really get my parents to do it, but being able to drive myself sometimes I'll go for a joyride in my car. Unfortunately with Halloween, they don't put out enough stuff in this neighborhood. Although there are quite a few decorations in my town displayed. Sounds like a fun thing to do. The only thing I'll have to be careful of is paying attention to the road!
It sounds to me like you don't mind modern stuff so much, as long as it doesn't replace traditional themes. And if decorating for Halloween is a tradition, more than likely it's not going to matter so much if the decorations are electrical or candle-lit. But I can understand the desire for a real pumpkin. Like I said, I'm not trading traditions, I just want to try new things in addition to traditional things. I may even try a really old tradition just for something new. Carving a turnip is the original jack o' lantern, and just to revive something old and giving it new life sounds like a fun new thing to do.
Speaking of traditions, I never see anyone bob for apples anymore. I think people are too worried about germs spreading around.
And my pumpkins and squash are flowering. I've already got some butternut squash and now that we're getting a little sun I'm hoping for the best. Just two more months until the big day, wouldn't it be fun harvesting those pumpkins the day before Halloween or maybe even a Halloween Morning? But if they turn out earlier that'd be great too. I just hope that they'll make the due date, and the due date of course is October 31st!
I don't really know if gloves will work or not. I don't get a rash, and usually it's just irritating until I wash my hands. Then I'm fine. I figured it's worth a try though.

[adrian]

speaking of allergies and watermelon.. watermelon is really the only "allergy" i have... it doesn't make me sick or anything.. i just can't eat it because when i do my mouth and throat begin to itch so BADLY and i have to do that annoying "scratch your throat" sound

[Firefighter_Barbie]

So what if someone's allergic to pumpkins? Say it isn't so right? I know the flesh of a pumpkin irritates my skin but touching the outside shell doesn't bother it one bit. I have the same problem handling squash.
Yet if someone loves Halloween, such an allergy can be a hinder to the person who wants to take part in the festivities.
What would the members of Halloween.com suggest to someone with a "pumpkin" allergy to do?
I'm thinking about wearing gloves this year when I carve if my pumpkins in my garden turn out. But some people might be severely allergic and can't even go near the pumpkin!
What I would suggest...if you're only mildly allergic, wear gloves.
If you're severely allergic, try carving a funkin or maybe experiment with carving other fruits or vegetables. Maybe start a new tradition by carving a watermelon, or reawaken the oldest tradition by carving a turnup or a beet before they had pumpkins to carve!
Any thoughts?

I've never heard of anyone being seriously allergic to Pumpkins, but I'm sure there are people out there who are. If it just irritates your skin, latex gloves would be the best thing to use and for people who are severally allergic, I'm thinking the best bet would be buying those plastic light up ones or making them out of ceramics...that way someone wouldn't risk triggering the allergy from trying to carve other vegies.