Name: Pippa Patchwhisper

(But most kids just call her “Pippa Pumpkin!”)

Backstory:

Every year, when autumn leaves turn gold and the nights grow crisp, the Great Pumpkin Grove wakes. Deep in that grove, where vines twist like ribbons and fireflies glow like tiny lanterns, there is a magical pumpkin patch unlike any other. The patch blooms only under the full Harvest Moon, and from it steps Pippa Patchwhisper, the Pumpkin Girl of Halloween.

Pippa was once a small pumpkin spirit, born from the laughter of children carving jack-o’-lanterns. Every giggle, every careful carve of a smiling mouth, every flicker of warm candlelight inside a pumpkin gave her just a little more shape. Eventually, she grew into a full being—a cheerful pumpkin girl with glowing eyes, striped festival sleeves, curled elf-shoes, and leaves in her hair like a crown.

Her purpose is simple and wonderful:

To spread joy, warmth, and wonder every Halloween.

Pippa dances through towns on Halloween night, leaving:

Glowing jack-o’-lanterns on doorsteps to ward off fear and bad dreams

Pumpkin spice aromas drifting from kitchens

Caramel treats and sugared seeds tucked into candy baskets

Mischievous but friendly little enchantments that make costumes sparkle and laughter sound brighter

She sings songs that only appear on the wind:

“Light the lantern, hear the call,
Magic rises every fall.
Carve a smile, bright and true,
Halloween joy comes back to you!”

Children adore her, some say they’ve danced with her in leaf piles, some claim she taught them the perfect way to roast pumpkin seeds, and one or two swear she helped them carve a jack-o-lantern that winked.

Adults?
Most remember her only faintly, as a warm memory of Halloweens long ago, when magic felt real.

When dawn comes and the last lantern flickers out, Pippa returns to the Great Pumpkin Grove, curling up among soft vines and autumn leaves, sleeping until next Halloween…
Unless someone calls her name while carving a jack-o’-lantern with joy in their heart — then she awakens early, if only for a moment, to bless the celebration.