I mean, PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST? really!? REALLY???!
Is this what grown adults do at work? I've never done it. Ive been working for a long time (roughly 156 yrs now)
While I completely understand the basis for your decision do you think that maybe this was more of a moral booster/team builder designed to bring people together? Lots of companies do this kind of stuff to make people feel like they are part of something rather than just working for a paycheck.
Never feel bad about soething like that. Our dept would do the same thing if our company ever sent the same e-mail. We work long enough and hard enough each day. There already aren't enough hours in the day for work and regular life. If I were to use unpaid time outside of work to carve pumpkins.....it would be at home not the office. You made a common sense decision if you ask me. Not enough people are capable of that.