Let's hear it for the turnip lantern!!

Coming out of Tesco this afternoon, every second person had a pumpkin sitting on top of their shopping. Where did these come from?? Well, obviously it is the American influence, but when did we change over from carving out a turnip to using the softie option of a pumpkin?? Yet another example of the mothers of today doing thing the easy way!

When my children were young - although they are flatly denying all recollection of this - they were sent out to do their guising with a hollowed out turnip lantern with a candle stuck in it. I had to start scooping out the inside around June as these turnips are so o o o hard and implements used varied from lethal sharp knives to screwdrivers . None of this namby pamby scooping of the pumpkin with an ordinary spoon for goodness sake. Even as I write this (to thin air I suspect but never mind!) I can smell the intense aroma from the turnip as it was bludgeoned into something vaguely resembling a hollowed out face. Then it had to have holes carved in for the eyes and teeth and its top replaced, then two holes drilled in the side for a piece of string to be threaded through. My God, I am exhausted just writing about it - thank goodness it was only once a year!