Pumpkins weren't around when I was a kid. We used turnips (Swedes) and it took my dad ages to hollow it out, cut out the face and tie the lid back on with string. The turnip pulp would figure largely on next day's dinner plate.
they are softer and wetter than turnips. They do make lovely soup though, especially if you bake the pumpkin in the oven before using the flesh. You can also make pies, cakes and biscuits with pumpkin in
Yes, growing up in Scotland we always used turnips as we never even SAW a pumpkin (they were mostly American I think). I used to get a blister on my hand howkin' out the interior.