Classic Rant #1,067 (October 21, 2013): Pumplin Pickin'

My family and I decided to celebrate the season, and we went pumpkin pickin' yesterday.

No, we didn't actually pick the pumpkins, but we went to a local nursery and purchased several pumpkins to spruce up our house with.

The nursery, Hick's, has been around forever, and they put on a real good show during this time of season.

They have pumpkins all over the place, and people bring their kids, their very young kids, because of everything else that goes on there during this time of year.

They have a petting zoo, have hay rides, you can buy popcorn and lots of other food and drink there, and it really is one big party.

I remember when my kids were small, we took them to the haunted house there. It really wasn't that scary, but my kids loved it.

Hick's really makes the season fun, and makes it fun to shop there amidst everything else going on there.

And you need that, because I cannot believe the prices on stuff there.

In the old days, you couldn't give away pumpkins.

Today, pumpkins that they had there cost anywhere from a few dollars for the really small ones up to $18-20 and up for the larger ones.

And all the other finery of the day--the haystacks, the ornaments of the season ... well, you better have some big bills handy, because they don't cost pennies anymore.

My wife and I were talking about this very subject while we were there and on the way home.

This is prime time for these places.

Not only do people buy things for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the season, but they buy other things during this time of year.

Along with the pumpkins, we bought mums, too.

So nurseries count on this season to help them meet, and exceed, their annual bottom lines.

And as you know, since adults got into Halloween, they have corrupted the season, anyway, and Halloween is very, very big business for not only nurseries, but for costume stores, party stores and the like.

That is how it is now, big business colliding with fun, and I guess that is how it is going to be for now on.

But anyway, we bought our pumpkins, our mums, and I got out of there spending less than $40.

It could have been worse, but we really watched ourselves there.

And now, with all the pumpkins around and other stuff my wife puts up, it really looks like Halloween.

Now we just need some kids to come to our door on the holiday for candy, and it really will feel like the season.

Just five weeks to Thanksgiving (and Hanukkah this year too!).