The Great Pumpkin is comin' to town!

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s I mentioned the other day, for the first time since its premiere in 1966, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown won't be airing on network television this year. I hope those of you without Apple+ have The Great Pumpkin on DVD, because it cdrtainly isn't Halloween without it.

The Great Pumpkin is probably second only to A Charlie Brown Christmas in terms of popularity, and it isn't surprising. It's a charming story, what with its sly satire on the Santa Claus mythos, Snoopy in his Sopwith Camel, and Charlie Brown's miserable trick-or-treating experience. It also generated quite a few tie-ins, including this: The Peanuts Book of Pumpkin Carols, published by Hallmark. Although I have to admit we've never had carolers coming around our neighborhood singing pumpkin carols, I wouldn't presume to speak for all neighborhoods; perhaps it's a local tradition where you live.

Here are a couple of my favorites—

GREAT PUMPKIN IS COMING TO TOWN

Oh, you better not shriek,

You better not groan,

You better not howl,

You better not moan,

Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town!

He’s going to find out,

From folks that he meets,

Who deserves tricks,

And who deserves treats,

Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town!

He’ll search in every pumpkin patch,

Haunted houses far and near,

To see if you’ve been spreading gloom,

Or bringing lots of cheer.

So, you better not shriek,

You better not groan,

You better not howl,

You better not moan,

Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town!

I’M DREAMING OF THE GREAT PUMPKIN

I’m dreaming of the Great Pumpkin,

Just like I do this time each year.

When he brings nice toys,

To good girls and boys,

Who wait for him to appear.

I’m dreaming of the Great Pumpkin,

With every Pumpkin card I write.

May your jack-o-lanterns burn bright,

When the Great Pumpkin visits you tonight.

And here's my personal favorite; I've shared "Pumpkin Bells" before, but we all know you can never have too much of a good thing. 

PUMPKIN BELLS

Dashing through the streets,

In our costumes bright and gay,

To each house, we go,

Laughing all the way.

Halloween is here,

Making spirits bright,

What fun it is to trick-or-treat,

And sing Pumpkin carols tonight!

Oh, Pumpkin bells! Pumpkin bells!

Ringing loud and clear,

Oh what fun Great Pumpkin brings,

When Halloween is here!

Pumpkin bells! Pumpkin bells!

Ringing loud and clear,

Oh, what fun Great Pumpkin brings,

When Halloween is here!

You can see the complete list here. In the meantime, we'll be watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on Halloween night as we always do. I hope you'll join us, at least in spirit. After all, 'tis the night for spirits. TV