Teal pumpkins and blue buckets are more than Halloween decor
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Different colored pumpkins and pails hold more meaning — and controversy — than some might think on Halloween night.
The big picture: Trick-or-treating can be a fun, terrifying or potentially dangerous experience for kids with different needs.
- Some groups and families signal safety with teal, blue and purple pumpkins or buckets to help kids with food allergies, autism and epilepsy.
Here's more on what the colors mean:
Teal pumpkins
What it means: Non-food treats will be given out.
- How it works: Homes participating in the tradition will put out a teal bucket or teal-painted pumpkin, signaling they are offering allergy-safe treats. Trick-or-treaters will look out for them on Halloween night or plan before going out via a map.
How it started: Tennessee mom Becky Basalone, whose son has severe food allergies, first set out a teal pumpkin in 2012.
- About 10 years ago, Food Allergy Research & Education's (FARE) Teal Pumpkin Project launched to help spread the word.
- CVS partnered with the project in recent years.
Today, teal pumpkins can be spotted in every state in the nation, FARE CEO Sung Poblete tells Axios.
- "I feel like a fairy godmother in teal," Poblete says.
Blue pumpkins or buckets
What it means: Autism awareness.
- If a child is holding a blue bucket, they might not be able to say "trick-or-treat" but still would like one.
How it started: Years ago, Alicia Plumer of Louisiana shared a photo of her son and a blue pumpkin bucket with a plea.
- "His name is BJ & he is autistic. While he has the body of a 21 year old, he loves Halloween. Please help us keep his spirit alive & happy."
National autism groups spread the message, but pushback from families has caused a shift in recent years.
- The National Autism Association (NAA) tells Axios it no longer encourages blue buckets.
- Opponents argue that it's othering and kids shouldn't have to explain their autism in exchange for kindness.
What we're hearing: "It's truly case-by-case for each family and individual," NAA's Lori McIlwain tells Axios. "Overall, we would encourage anyone opening their door for trick-or-treaters to be universally accepting of those with autism and any varying motor and speech abilities they may have."
Purple pumpkins
What it means: Epilepsy awareness.
How it started: In 2012, Ron Lamontagne, whose youngest child has epilepsy, launched a Purple Pumpkin Project Facebook page and event in Connecticut that drew in unexpected support and donations, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.
- The idea was, people would ask: "Why are your pumpkins purple?" And, suddenly, the door is open to talk about epilepsy, which affects more than 3.4 million Americans.
Today, the project continues as a fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation, with a goal of $26,000. Kaitlyn Gallagher, the foundation's public relations manager, tells Axios the project has reached about half that so far this year.
The bottom line: Kids have different needs. Being aware of that on trick-or-treat night can help more of them have a scary good time.
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