What These 6 Colored Pumpkins On Porches Mean During Halloween

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Pumpkin porch décor can represent more than just the changing of the season, especially around Halloween. While most pumpkins, carved or not, are orange, it is becoming increasingly common to see an array of more unusual colors, including bright shades of teal, pink, and purple, adorning porches. Displaying colorful pumpkins can sometimes simply be a maximalist Halloween porch décor upgrade idea. But it can also have a deeper meaning, ranging from showing solidarity for sober driving to mourning a tragic loss.

Whether real or imitation, most people understand the symbolism behind the standard Halloween pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns. But not everyone is as familiar with the meaning behind these six color variations which may be displayed on front porches — or held in the hands of trick-or-treaters. It's a good idea to be aware of what each color symbolizes in order to show the proper respect and/or avoid making any harmful mistakes. Additionally, once you know the meaning behind these colorful pumpkins, you may decide to incorporate them into your own décor as you get your outdoor space ready for fall.

Pink has become widely associated with the month of October. That is because pink represents breast cancer awareness, and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Of all the painted pumpkins one may see, this is perhaps the easiest one to guess the meaning of — especially since they are often decorated with the breast cancer ribbon. Besides painting a pumpkin pink, you can also buy 'Porcelain Doll' pumpkin seeds from Amazon to grow in support – but that takes some planning, and a vegetable patch. 

Teal is another pumpkin color that has a significant meaning. Natural pumpkins may be painted teal and placed on a porch, and plastic teal pumpkins are often carried by young trick-or-treaters. While a youngster toting a teal pumpkin could just mean it's the kid's favorite color, it can often indicate that the child has food allergies. If a teal pumpkin is propped on a porch, it typically means the homeowner is providing non-food treats for kids with allergy issues. 

A blue pumpkin or jack-o'-lantern on a porch has the same meaning a blue porch light can have – autism awareness. While the home may or may not have someone residing within that is on the autism spectrum, it is meant to raise awareness and used as a welcome sign for trick-or-treaters affected by autism. By the same token, a blue pumpkin carried by a child when trick-or-treating may be conveying that they have autism or a communicative disorder. While this is not always the case, being aware of the possibility is important, and can ease communication difficulties. 

The Red Pumpkin Project is an initiative started by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to raise awareness of the dangers of driving inebriated. It is no accident that the organization started this project to coincide with Halloween, as the holiday has consistently had a high rate of drunk driving incidents and deaths. A red pumpkin on a porch at Halloween is meant to be a reminder of these grim statistics, as well as a prompt to designate sober drivers for any Halloween-related activities.

The Epilepsy Foundation began its Purple Pumpkin Project as a way to raise awareness — and funds — for epilepsy. Displaying a purple-painted pumpkin helps show support for those suffering from epilepsy. It can also be used to signal that an epileptic lives at the residence, or that the homeowner is aware of what to do in the event someone suffers a seizure. Additionally, anyone who wishes to help fundraise for the Epilepsy Foundation can register for the Purple Pumpkin Project on the website and will be given their own fundraising page.

October isn't just Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. To that end, white pumpkins can have a very somber meaning: They may be used to indicate the loss of a pregnancy or infant child. Like the other meaningful colors on this list, the display of a white pumpkin doesn't only indicate a loss was suffered by those in the home. It can also be a way of showing support for others who have dealt with such a loss.