Pumpkin spice trash bags show sky is the limit for pumpkin commercialization

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - It seems everywhere people turn, there are pumpkins.

Pumpkin pillows, pumpkin lanterns, and even pumpkin Disney products.

“Pumpkins just make people happy,” said Kelly Laughlin, who owns Pretty Porches Atlanta.

She also operates a Facebook page called Pretty Pumpkin Porches ATL.

“They do call me The Pumpkin Lady,” Laughlin said. “Last year we had 52,000 pounds of pumpkins.

It’s proper work perching pumpkins on people’s porches for passers-by to ponder.

“We’ve got gords, we’ve got whites, we’ve got stackable, we’ve got giant pumpkins, Laughlin said.”

And even in August, when the temperatures in Metro Atlanta are edging close to triple digits, Americans can’t get enough of the vegetable.

“Actually, pumpkin is a fruit,” Laughlin points out.

Pumpkin season officially kicked off Thursday, with Starbucks selling its popular pumpkin spice latte, what this reporter thinks might be the biggest hoax in all of consumerism.

“I think that’s a deep secret that people don’t realize there’s no pumpkin in pumpkin spice,” Laughlin...laughed.

It’s more likely people don’t care; they just want more pumpkin.

“Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin shakes,” Laughlin said, listing off all the way to prepare a pumpkin.

But the pumpkinaissance doesn’t end at food. Hefty introduced a pumpkin spice trash bag today, allegedly strong enough to carry multiple pumpkins.

“I think people really want something be happy about and celebrate,” Laughlin said.

Meaning it’s just a matter of time before pumpkin pizza takes the world by storm.

“It’s never too early for pumpkins,” Laughlin said.

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