Every Halloween in the sleepy town of Dreadwood, an old, withered pumpkin magically appeared on every doorstep. The legend said it was the doing of Old Lady Anabelle, a melancholic ghost who once thrived on carving pumpkins.
Young Thaddeus, a smart lad, was determined to break this cycle. On Halloween night, he stayed awake, armed with candies and a cheerful jack-o’-lantern. Hours passed in vigil, his eyes drooping, but he pushed on.
Around midnight, he noticed a dainty, ladylike figure materialize. Anabelle! She eyed his doorstep, puzzled at why there was no pumpkin for her to carve. Thaddeus got up and held out his beautifully carved pumpkin.
“For you, Anabelle,” he said, offering her the best of his candies. “Happy Halloween!”
For the first time, the town awoke to Halloween without a single withered pumpkin. Instead, every doorstep held a joyous, perfectly carved jack-o’-lantern, shining brightly. Anabelle’s apparition was never seen again.
From that day, the tale of Thaddeus and the Happy Pumpkins became another legend of Dreadwood. It taught everyone that even the loneliest of spirits just needed a well-carved pumpkin and a pinch of joy!