The Peanuts Book of Pumpkin Carols

“Halloween is becoming a forgotten holiday. We dedicated followers of the Great Pumpkin must do something to rekindle that holiday spirit. Let us not rest until the universe resounds with Pumpkin Carols!” – Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz from his introduction to the 1969 Hallmark Cards Halloween combination songbook and greeting card entitled The Peanuts Book of Pumpkin Carols.

In 1969, Hallmark Greeting Cards released a greeting-card booklet of Linus’ Pumpkin Carols from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. However, by the time of its publication, Pumpkin Carols had already been in vogue for two or three years because they’d been first composed and performed by college glee club and college students at several universities in the late 1960s who’d been inspired by the perennial Peanuts animated Halloween TV special, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

What are Peanuts Pumpkin Carols, you ask? They are a group of cleverly penned Halloween songs set to the tune of traditional Christmas carols. So “Deck the Halls” becomes “Deck the Patch”, “Silver Bells” becomes “Pumpkin Bells”, “The 12 Days of Christmas” becomes “The 12 Days of Halloween” and so on.

I’M DREAMING OF THE GREAT PUMPKIN
(sung to the tune of “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”)

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!


PUMPKIN BELLS
(sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells”)

Dashing through the streets
In our costumes bright and gay,
To each house we go
Laughing all the way!

Halloween is here
Filled with lots of cheer;
What fun it is to trick-or-treat
Singin’ Pumpkin Carols each year!

Oh, Pumpkin Bells, Pumpkin Bells,
Ringing loud and clear,
Oh, what fun Great Pumpkin brings
When Halloween is here!

Oh, Pumpkin Bells, Pumpkin Bells,
ringing loud and clear,
Oh, what fun Great Pumpkin brings
When Halloween is here!

DECK THE PATCH
(sung to the tune of “Deck the Halls”)

Deck the patch with orange and black;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Take along your goodie sack;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Don we now our gay apparel;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Troll the ancient Pumpkin Carol;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!

See the Great One rise before us;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
As we sing the pumpkin chorus;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Follow Him as lo, He ascend!
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Join with true Great Pumpkin friends;
Fa la la la la, la la la la!


THE TWELVE DAYS OF HALLOWEEN
(sung to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”)

On the twelfth day of Halloween my true love gave to me
Twelve bats a-flying,
Eleven masks a-leering,
Ten ghouls a-groaning,
Nine ghosts a-booing,
Eight monsters shrieking,
Seven pumpkins glowing,
Six goblins gobbling,
Five scarey spooks,
Four skeletons,
Three black cats,
Two trick-or-treaters,
And an owl in a dead tree.

I HEARD THE BELLS ON HALLOWEEN
(sung to the tune of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”)

I heard the bells on Halloween,
Their old familiar carols scream
And wild and sweet
The world repeat:
The Pumpkin Season’s here again!

Then pealed the bells more loud and strong:
Great Pumpkin comes before too long!
The good will get;
The bad will fret;
The Pumpkin Season’s here again!


O’ PUMPKIN CARDS
(sung to the tune of “O’ Christmas Tree”)

O’, Pumpkin Cards, O’ Pumpkin Cards,
Carry greetings to my friends;
Let them know the day is here
When Great Pumpkin will appear;
O’, Pumpkin Cards, O’, Pumpkin Cards,
Carry greetings to my friends!