Complete Guide to Pumpkin Colors and What They Mean for Halloween

There’s a good chance you will see more pumpkin colors besides orange while trick-or-treating this Halloween.

Different colors of pumpkins are being used more regularly to help raise awareness of social issues and other worthy causes.

Here is everything you need to know about pumpkin colors and what they represent before heading out on Halloween.

What Teal Pumpkins Mean

According to FoodAllergy.org, the Teal Pumpkin Project was created to make safer and more inclusive for children with food allergies. A home with a teal pumpkin outside signifies it has non-food items to offer kids you may not be able to have candy.

The website says one in 13 children have food allergies. Children may also carry teal pumpkin buckets that let homes know they have an allergy.

Houses that plan to place a teal pumpkin outside can add their address to the online Teal Pumpkin Project Map designed to help trick-or-treaters with allergies find suitable locations on Halloween.

What Yellow Pumpkins Mean

Yellow pumpkins are a sign a child has a disability. Pride Mobility says the effort was started by a mother whose son was denied candy after he wasn’t able to say “trick-or-treat.”

Shortly after, the mom started the Yellow Pumpkin Parade. Children with disabilities carry yellow pumpkins to help make those handing out candy be more aware of their condition.

House Digest says homes are also welcome to place yellow pumpkins outside to signify “children with special needs or who can’t greet you with ‘trick-or-treat’ will have a positive experience at your home.”

What Blue Pumpkins Mean

While its origin is unclear, blue pumpkins are commonly known as a symbol of autism awareness.

“While blue pumpkins aren’t associated with a formal fundraiser or organization, families may choose to display them as a symbol to help educate others on how Halloween festivities may impact a child on the autism spectrum,” Good Housekeeping writes. 

This could mean a home displaying a blue pumpkin as a means of starting a conversation about autism or a child carrying a blue pumpkin bucket as a sign for those dishing out candy.

What Purple Pumpkins Mean

The Purple Pumpkin Project was started by a father in 2012 who wanted to spread awareness of epilepsy following his son’s diagnosis.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, Ron Lamontagne launched a Facebook page for the effort. Within days, he had followers from all 50 states.

From pumpkins to scarecrows, purple is now being used as a way to raise awareness for the more than 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the U.S.

What Red Pumpkins Mean

The meaning behind red pumpkins can vary depending where you live.

Taste of Home says red pumpkins are used to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. They credit Mothers Against Drunk Driving for starting the tradition in the U.S.

Red pumpkins have taken on a more broad meaning in Canada. In 2020, Nestle launched the Red Pumpkin Project to “encourage families to stay safe and have fun during Halloween.”

What White Pumpkins Mean

White pumpkins are a symbol of pregnancy or infant loss.

According to Pregnancy After Loss Support, the popularity of using a white pumpkin to raise awareness increased thanks to a mother who had experiences her own loss. The mother penned the poem “The White Pumpkin” about her family.

What Pink Pumpkins Mean

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s no surprise pink pumpkins have been used to support the cause.

The pink pumpkins are placed outside homes to raise awareness. While some pumpkins are painted pink, there are farms that produce pumpkins with a pink shade that can be used to decorate.