There was a time when society depended on the Earth’s axis tilt to inform us of the beginning of seasons. Now, the annual reappearance of the pumpkin spice latte marks the autumnal equinox for most. Once looking to the stars for indicators of a change in season, we presently look toward the Starbucks fall menu or fall-themed coffee sleeves and cups. Starbucks manages to harvest pumpkin flavor in numerous drinks and baked goods weeks before the beginning of prime pumpkin season. Halloween-themed mugs and tumblers line shelves in mid-August. We quickly embrace autumn’s approach, whether iced, hot, blended or baked into a muffin. Are we easily lured into corporations’ superficial marketing, or does the pumpkin spice latte represent something far more meaningful?
The pumpkin spice latte turned 21 years old this year, yet its relevance in American culture has not diminished throughout the years. Starbucks’s pumpkin spice latte has maintained its popularity and inspired large numbers of other pumpkin products, from pumpkin-flavored beer to pumpkin-scented trash bags. The first appearances of pumpkins in coffee shops and other stores indicate that summer is coming to a close; still, I see fall as more of a beginning than an end. For the stars, sun and planets, fall marks the start of an equal night and day due to the sun’s position directly above the equator. But it is much more for us. If you look up during the fall, the leafy embers dangling from trees would probably be the first change you see, yet if you look a little farther out, new star groupings have also appeared. For the Northern Hemisphere, the Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila constellations have been replaced by their autumn counterparts: Cassiopeia, Pegasus and Andromeda. It is the same star pattern as last fall but is still new relative to the summer star pattern.
Much like the patterns of star groupings, every Sept. 22 we can depend on the early fall foliage to greet us from above. Similarly, around Aug. 22, we can rely on the return of the pumpkin spice latte. A UCLA study by Hengchen Dai and Claire Li argues that our lives are organized by temporal landmarks, which are defined as events distinguished from the ordinary. I believe that fall serves as one of those. The study also says that people tend to view temporal landmarks as valuable times to pursue goals due to changes in environment and routine, heightening motivation and providing opportunities for creating new habits. Fall marks a beginning, a fresh orange and yellow-hued outlook and a new constellation of opportunities. We associate fall with pumpkin-flavored treats and festivities, embracing pumpkin spice to celebrate fall and the change accompanying it. The pumpkin spice latte is an acceptable homage to fall.
Montana Miller, a scholar of popular culture, accredited the pumpkin spice latte’s rise in fame to its nostalgic connections with components of our culture we fear losing hold of. The pumpkin spice latte is one way we can stay in touch with our former traditions, while also allowing us to celebrate new ones. For most living in the United States, fall signals that holiday celebrations characterized by traditions and time spent with loved ones — Halloween, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Christmas — are just around the corner. The latte is emblematic of this by connecting us with traditional fall elements, such as pumpkin-shaped trick-or-treat baskets or the cinnamon and nutmeg-flavored air that fills Thanksgiving dining rooms.
Despite its seemingly contradictory nature, fall’s unique blend of nostalgia and excitement for the future complement each other. Fall evokes a sense of nostalgia through reinforcing the self and its past experiences as meaningful, while also inspiring change by serving as a motivation for the self and experiences in the future. The pumpkin spice latte embodies this duality, representing the start and tradition of fall, which is a dependable mixture of our love for both the past and future. Fall is undeniably a special time. There is no trend of forming a “fall resolution,” nor is there a call to remember the past Halloweens of our youth, yet many of us seem to unconsciously do so. Fall musters a sense of connection to our past selves and eagerness to our future selves, and the pumpkin spice latte is a means of doing so. It’s more than just a drink. It’s a symbol of the season, a connection to our past and a celebration of the future. So, eat your pumpkin muffins and raise your latte-filled mug to all that has passed and all that will come.
