The Little Pumpkin

There once was a pumpkin named Libby.
Libby wasn't very big and, well.. "pumpkin-like" like other pumpkins. She was small, round, and could easily be mistaken for an orange.
"No one would want to make a jack-o-lantern out of me," lamented Libby. "Even with the most frightening of designs, I wouldn't be able to scare a fly."

She happened to be in the batch of pumpkins sitting in the lobby of a company in California, all anxiously waiting to be taken home and carved into something spectacular. They would be contenders for the company's upcoming Halloween pumpkin carving contest. But Libby didn't have much hope to be chosen, thinking she'd be left to rot in the dumpster.

Just then, a girl walked in, grumbling about how her boss was forcing her to join the contest--even though she had never even thought about pumpkin carving before and was also a busy college student. She eyed the bunch and reluctantly picked up the pumpkin that fit in the palm of her hand, thinking it was cute. And now Libby had a home.

The girl quickly grew attached to Libby, firstly taking a picture of Libby with the newly reddened leaves outside the company office to signify the arrival of Autumn, and later even taking dumb selcas with the tiny pumpkin.

Even the girl's alpaca wanted in on the action.

But now they were posed with the question of what to make Libby into. Luckily, the girl didn't want to do something scary, which Libby found relief in; she didn't want to become something scary either, even if all of her brothers and sisters boasted about being carved into the scariest. But what could they do then? Libby started to feel apologetic, as though she was no help and was just making matters more frustrating and burdensome. The girl didn't even want to enter the contest in the first place, after all.

But the girl's friends came up with a wonderful idea, and suddenly the girl became inspired and enthusiastic about the contest. Libby still wasn't sure, but surely anything would be better than the dumpster.

After enduring painful hours of carving (on both the pumpkin and girl's ends), Libby started to change.

She could feel many of her toxic feelings emptying as her seeds were removed, and replacing them was a growing air of self-content.

Upon seeing herself, Libby was ecstatic, though this quickly faded into regret, feeling as though something were missing. "This is wonderful! I wish I could win you the contest, but I'm still not too confident..." she trailed off.

And who would appear at this time other than [the female, Asian, 20-year-old] Santa Claus [her]self?!
"I hear your wish, young pumpkin. Now let's make you even more beautiful."

With Santa's magic and hours spent waiting for glue to dry, Libby finally transformed into a full-fledged petite pixie pumpkin house.

The girl had never been so proud of a pumpkin before.
"Look, Libby! You're beautiful, and helpful to boot! Imagine all of the pixies that will be able to make a home inside of you! And you don't even have to be scary to be spectacular."

Little Pumpkin, you can become anything you want to be.