What It Means To Put A Purple Pumpkin On Your Porch

Pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns, time-honored traditions for fall and Halloween décor, usually have a familiar orange hue. But more and more, these decorative gourds are taking on out of the ordinary colors to raise awareness and foster conversations about health concerns. Purple is one of the chosen colors that stands out among all the orange, and it's used to encourage epilepsy mindfulness.

If you or someone in your family has epilepsy — a neurological disorder creating flows of electrical activity in the brain that trigger seizures – placing a purple pumpkin on your porch can alert others that may want to learn more about your experiences or exchange information with you. Even if you or someone in your family doesn't have epilepsy, you can still paint a pumpkin purple to raise awareness. The custom of using purple pumpkins in this way came about in 2012 as part of the Purple Pumpkin Project with the Epilepsy Foundation, which was announced on a popular Facebook page.

The first person to paint a pumpkin purple was Ron Lamontagne of Connecticut who wanted to make others aware of the challenges his son faced as a youngster with epilepsy. After he shared his purple pumpkin, photos of other similarly-painted pumpkins placed on porches in all areas of the United States were soon being posted on the page, with many being decorated by children or their families. Some are plain purple pumpkins while others are given personal flourishes like eyes or sparkling glitter.

If you're looking to decorate your porch with a purple pumpkin to raise epilepsy awareness, you can easily paint one yourself. Or better yet, visit a fall pumpkin patch to choose a pumpkin with a child in your life and then paint it together as a fun craft project. All you'll need beyond the pumpkin of your choice is an inexpensive foam paintbrush, acrylic purple paint, and either a spray or brush-on acrylic sealer.

As you get started with your painting project, be sure to put down a drop cloth or newspaper to protect against messes, then prep the pumpkin by making sure it's clean and dry. Apply a base coat of sealer to the entire pumpkin and allow it to dry. Then, you're ready to paint. Working with one half of the pumpkin, letting it dry, and then working on the other half is a less messy alternative to painting the whole thing at the same time. If needed, add additional coats of purple paint until you get the desired color saturation. After the pumpkin dries, add another coat of sealer over the paint. You can deem your purple project complete or add some cute embellishments before decorating your home with pumpkins.