How to Carve a Pumpkin

Last year, I was disappointed to see that there were not a lot of hand-carved pumpkins out when I took my children trick or treating. I, myself, did not have the time or energy to carve a pumpkin last year. There was too much happening. I look forward to reinstating the pumpkin carving tradition this year, however. And, to encourage everyone else, this article will tell you how easy it is to carve a pumpkin.

My family usually celebrates Halloween with a pumpkin carving party. I cool pumpkin chowder and we spend the afternoon carving pumpkins. After trick or treating, we return to the house and the soup is waiting for us. It is fun to have a pumpkin carving party so you can see all of the pumpkins lined up when you are done.

How to Carve a Pumpkin: Cleaning

The first step is to get a pumpkin. A medium size is best. Large pumpkins are too thick to carve, and the same can be said for small pumpkins. They just don't have any room inside.

I like to cut the bottom off the pumpkin to scoop all of the guts out. Scrape down the insides to smooth them out. Cut a small vent hole in the top of the pumpkin to let steam out. You can set it back on thepumpkin bottom when you are done carving, or set your pumpkin on a plate and put the candle inside.

How to Carve a Pumpkin: Carving

Draw a pattern on your pumpkin. If you have time in advance, buy some cheap pumpkin carving tools. These are only a few dollars and really make a difference. The little sawing tool is so much easier for cutting out the pieces. And, older kids can use them with supervision. You can find these at any store around Halloween.

How to Carve a Pumpkin: Decorating Ideas

There are also tools for cutting holes, and gouging patterns in the surface. Try gouging holes in your pumpkin and pushing marbles into them. This looks pretty once the candle is lit. You can also carve out patterns and then rub some food coloring over the whole pumpkin for different effects.

When I was growing up in another country, they did not have pumpkins to carve. Instead, we made our Jack-o-lanterns out of watermelons. For fun, you can carve a jack-o-lantern into any type of gourds, melons, or just use different colored pumpkins.

This is the year for the return of the pumpkin jack-o-lantern. Make sure that you plan a pumpkin carving party and enjoy this year's Halloween.