Ah, pumpkin spice. One moment it wasn’t even on our radar, the next we’re cheering when it’s September and coffee shops break out their pumpkin spice lattes.

The pumpkin spice craze is hard to pinpoint. It’s one of those trends, like ugly sweaters at Christmas, that were not here all along but managed to seem (or taste) like it. This is the last month for everything pumpkin to spice up our lives before the flavors turn wintry and Christmassy.

In my trek through pumpkin spiceland, I’ve found the terrain a bit uneven. Sometimes that blend of autumnal cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves hits all the right warming and flavorful notes, extra delish after a whole year without partaking. It evokes a cozy fall feeling—sweater weather and all that. Other times it’s a bit too cloying and perfumed tasting. 

Pumpkin spice found its way into Twinkies, Pringles chips, Peeps, flavored water, Kit Kats, cereal and sausages, and I’m not sure how to feel about all that.

It has even infitrated the non-food arena, with beard oil, deodorant, toothpaste, dog shampoo, fish bait (really?) and dish soap bearing the scent. 

One of the more amusing sights I’ve seen driving around Colorado Springs was a pumpkin spice car wash, advertised loud and proud.

Colonialists used these spices. Cookbooks from the 1700s bear this out. But the real boost came much later, in 2003, when Starbucks launched the PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte). Starbucks has a “Liquid Lab” at their headquarters in Seattle, where they play around with potential coffee flavors and additions. One experiment involved pumpkin pies, and the rest is caffeinated history and loads of copycats. 

I was surprised to learn that Starbucks uses real pumpkin in their PSLs—not just the spices. I doubt I can count it as a daily veggie, however. Can there be much more than a teaspoon inside? Maybe a tablespoon for a Venti?

“Pumpkin Spice Latte has become more than just a beverage,” said Peter Dukes, product manager who led the development of the PSL. “It has become a harbinger of the season.”

Soon Christmastime will be here (we all know it starts right after Thanksgiving), and coffees will taste of peppermint, gingerbread, sugar cookies and eggnog.

Unless you prefer pumpkin spice eggnog, because that’s a thing too.

GET LISTED IN THE BEACON GUIDE

The “something nice”? It’s our 2025 BEACON Guide, coming to you shortly after the new year. “Nice” isn’t really the right descriptor, however. Words like “invaluable,” “helpful” and “lifeline” are more accurate. (They just didn’t fit the rhyme.) 

If you’ve ever had a question about aging in Colorado Springs, another reader has wondered it too, and it’s likely addressed within those pages. 

Last year was our inaugural Guide, and we learned a lot while still producing a resource we’re all plenty proud of—mostly because we live in a great community with so many resources to assist on the journey through the senior years. We want to be careful to give you the most up-to-date information possible, so we personally call every single telephone number listed in the BEACON Guide ourselves. Only the best for you, readers!

So, yes—it’s beyond nice. It’s the 2025 BEACON Guide, and it will be in your hands very soon. It’s on my list of Thanksgiving blessings for which I am grateful, and I can’t wait for you to have it!  

If you know of a business, club, support group or other helpful resource for seniors, we’d like to know! 

Email [email protected] or call 719-900-7664.