Pumpkins: Bigger Isn't Always Better

The most popular pumpkin in the Square is not Linus's gigantic model of "Peanuts" fame, but the small orange gourds called "mini-pumpkins."

"Anybody eight to 80 likes them--students, working people, old, young, whatever, doesn't make a difference," said John B. Zedros, manager of the Brattle Square Florist, which sells these seasonal decorations for a dollar each.

Mini-pumpkins are also a hit item at Li'I Peach, where they sell for 60 cents. According to manager Simon H. Haidar, People buy them for their offices or their dorm rooms, then decorate or carve them.

Asked if he owned a pumpkin of his own, Haidar replied, "Since I don't cook and I don't carve, we have a little mini one."

The popularity of the small gourds may be a reason why Sage's, which carries a good selection of larger-sized pumpkins, has been less successful this Halloween.

"We haven't sold that many Halloween pumpkins this year," said assistant manager Wolf M. Segal. He attributed the lack of sales to the store's main clientele of professionals and students. "We don't have many families who shop here," he said.

The larger pumpkins at Sage's sell for 49 cents a pound, and the store carries a range of pumpkins weighing from a pound and a half to a massive 25 pounds.

The pumpkins keep for several weeks and can be converted to edible holiday fare by anyone with access to a kitchen and some culinary know-how.