Ah, yes. Pumpkin spice season is upon us. Cue the chunky sweaters, Gilmore Girls marathons, and wafts of spices galore drifting from cafés. Perhaps fall temperatures may have reached a crisp 85ºF, but one has to appreciate the seasonal vibe of sweating through your knitwear—while, of course, sporting some coveted PSL deodorant. 

Sure, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, they’re all lovely—when used in moderation. However, there seems to be a gaping hole in that list. Where’s the pumpkin? Spoiler alert: “Pumpkin Spice” contains no more than your average cinnamon roll. There may be a bit of pumpkin puree lurking in a few lattes, but, generally, we’re all sipping on some spiced syrup concoction that remains entirely unrelated to the beloved squash. And yet, every Mid-August, we gleefully gulp it down, as if drinking a PSL will suddenly summon a pumpkin patch or make us the main characters of a Hallmark movie. 

And it’s not just the lattes—pumpkin spice has wormed its way into everything. Before summer can breathe its last humid sigh, orange labels deck the halls of grocery stores, earlier and earlier every year. From breakfast cereals to protein bars, perfume to laundry detergent, one can hardly escape it. The sight of an air freshener in July might as well be a declaration of the pumpkin’s strength, a warning to those who may resist. 

But, to all the lovers of “white girl fall,” you shouldn’t worry. Pumpkin spice isn’t really about the spices, or even the pumpkin—it’s about the season. It’s a ritual, and one that helps (at least those who appreciate it) ease into the new year. So, while basic, and a little illogical, the validity of simple fall pleasures isn’t in question. Go ahead, wrap yourself in a cable knit sweater, throw on some boots, and grab a PSL. Whether you’re headed to a pumpkin patch or a public pool, feel free to embrace the illusion. Fall will be here at some point, right? Possibly?