The smell of pumpkin spice just makes me feel so cozy and warm. It puts me in a comforting place of beautiful hues of red and orange foliage, incredibly smelling coffee shops, and warm, oversized clothes. It makes me in the mood to sing to Christmas carols, and shop great sales at the magnificently decorated malls while snow is falling to the ground. Pumpkin spice is the heart of fall and start of the winter. I think if not for pumpkin spice, fall would be a whole lot more damp and dreary in our minds.
Pumpkin spice. It’s a smell and flavor. Weird that it can change my whole outlook on winter. Because literally without that, I would be seriously grieving the loss of summery weather and dreading the cold, and I mean very cold, early nights. In my mind that don’t make much sense. A fragrance can change my mood? Apparently, heck yeah!
Science has proven that smells can be a huge trigger for memories and feelings. This is scientifically known as olfactory memory. The olfactory bulb, the vertebrate forebrain involved in the perception of odors, is situated closely to the amygdala, the area of the brain that experiences emotion. You may have wondered why when smelling a specific perfume odor that you’ve last smelled 7 years ago, you are filled with joy and content. Or maybe there is a certain aroma that brings up sad, or harsher feelings. The smell of the spice fenugreek, reminds me of sweet, older Indian neighbors I had when I was 5 years old. Every single time I smell it. Now that’s powerful!
No wonder why pumpkin spice changed my whole outlook on Fall! Pumpkin spice has historically been around in the fall at thanksgiving dinners, just about everywhere when the leaves have started to fall, and when our attire gets thicker and cozier. While I do miss the hot weather and wish it would get dark later, I’m easing into winter with a toasty cup of pumpkin spice coffee in my hands. That’s all I need! Well, I still need my scrubs and stethoscope to keep me going but other than that -I’m good.
