Pumpkins invade Britain

The traditional jack-o-lantern in the UK is carved from a swede (rutabaga as we know it)--a laborious process of actually carving out the insides, Andy tells me. Pumpkins, of course, are already hollow, except for the pulp and seeds, and are larger.

As is the way of things these days, the American import has become popular and widespread. Now you can see little pumpkin lamps and pumpkin decorations and all that crud for sale in the weeks before Halloween.

There was actually a pumpkin shortage this year, because of the horrendously wet summer Britain experienced. But we managed to get a cute little round one for 99p at our favorite discount grocery store, Lidl. It made a friendly ghoul to light up our stairs on a windy Halloween night.

Now the Christmas stuff is going up around town, in the gap where Thanksgiving belongs (to my American sensibilities). I may have to do my part for globalization (!) and introduce our friends to the idea of Thanksgiving (and the food).