Pumpkin Carving
Pumpkins of different shapes and sizes started appearing in McDougall Hall at the University of Prince Edward Island, pilling up on tables, rolling along the floor and hiding underneath chairs. It was the late afternoon of October 19 and the student hall was starting to look like a pumpkin patch … something was happening, it was orange and vaguely scary. International students appeared and hesitated before moving into the sea of orange squash as they looked suspiciously at the knives, spoons and other pieces of equipment for carving, scooping and dismembering. It was time for Halloween!
This incredibly popular celebration in Canada can often appear confusing to newcomers. People dress up in scary costumes and walk around giving candy to children whilst mutilating innocent pumpkins and decorating their homes with spider webs, tombstones and skeletons. Nobody really tries to explain this behaviour, it’s beyond the realms of rational thinking and slides happily into a festival of fun. To help international students engage with this festival, the Study & Stay PEI Program put together a pumpkin carving party!
This was a family event and kids plunged knives enthusiastically into the silent pumpkins, starting the transformation process from vegetable to iconic Halloween decoration. By the end of the evening a whole new tribe of Halloween pumpkins had been brought to life and this festival had a new group of enthusiastic devotees – once you have carved a pumpkin, there is no going back!!!