Pumpkins

I recently read an article by Heidi Stevens about keeping the basic traditions alive but not going overboard and forcing people into activities. Specifically, she was talking about not driving 50 miles outside the city to the most picturesque Pumpkin Patch, but rather, being ok with and even liking the 'patch' at the corner of a busy intersection in Chicago. Her kids didn't want to spend all day in a patch, and they didn't.
I grew up with both types of traditions. We had a house in south Evanston, which is technically a suburb of Chicago, but feels more urban than most suburbs. Both my parents worked, and it was hard to find a time and even a reason to travel all the way out to farmland for apples, pumpkins, Christmas Trees and whatever other holiday items people need. We bought our Christmas Tree from the usually-empty lot about five blocks from our house. Our pumpkins were bought from another usually-empty lot about five blocks north of our church. Our apples, however, were picked at a special orchard an hour and a half (in good traffic) drive north of our home. Once a year we made the trek, for fresh apples and donuts. I'm keeping the tradition alive by bringing my sister and kids out, and meeting up with my dad. We love it.
So after church today, the kids and I met up with my mom at Windy City Pumpkins, on Greenbay. It didn't take long to choose pumpkins; there were no corn mazes or fields and we were packing up the car in about twenty minutes. We didn't get corn or Mums or haybales or any extras. And we had a great time. It was nice to be part of a holiday errand that didn't require weeks of planning and a car-load of supplies.
 Sometimes I wish we had elaborate traditions and recipes and dances and stories from The Old Countries (Ireland and Estonia and Norway and probably England). As a child and young adult I craved something more than 'just'...
 Recently (the last eight years or so) I realized the traditions we have are 'real', lovely, and activities I will carry on with my children. Our American ways are our ways, (and many of them are derived from the traditions in The Old Country) and they are beautiful and traditional and meant to be done year after year. We will be carving our two pumpkins as a family of four sometime this week. When are you carving your pumpkins?