How to Carve a Pumpkin

There are few things that scream Halloween more than a giant grinning jack o'lantern: they're as key to the holiday as spooky ghosts,  screeching bats,  and clinging spiderwebs.   The history of jack o'lanterns descends from the British tradition of carving vegetable lanterns  and the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, who, due to a deal with the devil, was doomed to wander the earth forever.  He carried with him a carved turnip that was lit with an ember from hell, and gradually, Jack's name became associated with this form of illumination.  Eventually, we graduated from turnips to the much sturdier pumpkins, which stand up fairly well to grazing squirrels, but unfortunately, not so well to mischievous teenagers.

Regardless of those pesky kids,  millions of pumpkins are carved into a variety of patterns and designs each year.  Pumpkin carving is surprisingly easy and tons of fun, so break out your patterns and kits and let's get to work!

What You'll Need

• A pumpkin, obviously.  Make sure it's fresh, unblemished, and large enough for your design.  When you're picking one out, look for a flat surface (without deep ridges, preferably) that will allow you to transfer the pattern easily, if you're using one.
• A scoop  to remove the seeds and pumpkin guts.  A large spoon will do, but there are also mass-produced versions out there.
• A marker  so you can trace your design onto your pumpkin. Most carving kits will include tools for design transfer.
• Carving tools and kits.  See the section directly below for more information on this topic.
• A candle  or light  to illuminate your pumpkin when you're all done.
• Lemon juice . Spraying lemon juice on the cut surfaces of your jack o'lantern will help preserve your handiwork.
• An adoring crowd.  Depending on your carving skills, you might be the talk of the neighborhood!

Carving Tools and Kits

It used to be that any old chef's knife  would do for pumpkin carving, but in recent years, there have been scores of kits and safety knives that have streamlined the jack o'lantern creation process.  Producing quality-looking pumpkins is now extraordinarily simple, and a whole lot of fun!  However, if that's not exciting enough for you, you might want to pop into your toolshed and use something motorized.

Pumpkin Masters Kits  Pumpkin Masters more or less originated the home carving kit.  They offer precision knives and tools, and a book of fun templates.	Pumpkin Toolbox   If you've already gotten through all of the Pumpkin Masters patterns, never fear!  There are more kits  on the markets that feature other designs.	Carving Tools  Professional tools are larger, sharper, and more versatile.  Dremel tools  resemble electric toothbrushes but they are small drills that come with attachments.	Power Tools!  Time to get the big guns. From jigsaws  to routers, to hand drills to chainsaws,  power tools can expedite the carving process in a major way.

Themed Kits

If you've mastered all of the carving patterns  you already own, be on the lookout for new ones.  You'll be able to find them in stores (unfortunately, they will often come with the same tools you already own--throw a jack o'lantern party maybe?) or download them off the internet.  Below we have a list of some of the most popular themed patterns for this year.

Sports-Themed Pumpkins  Die-hard sports fans, rejoice!  Show your team spirit all year round.	Disney-Themed Pumpkins  Little ones scared of zombies and vampires will love this.	Saw-Themed Pumpkins   If you can't get enough of Jigsaw and his crew, well, you're in luck.	Pirate-Themed Pumpkins   Those looking for heartthrob pumpkins need look no further.	Mr. Potato Head Pumpkins  Not a carving kit per se, but who could resist that face?

Bored of the Same Old, Same Old?

Of course it's traditional to carve pumpkins, but don't let that limit you!  There are tons of creative and nontraditional ways to decorate for Halloween, so check out the following suggestions.  For even more ideas, check out CountryLiving.com or MarthaStewart.com.

Painting Kits If you have small children, it might be a better idea to paint pumpkins  rather than carve them.  Kids can get in on the action and safety is still #1.	Wood Carving Techniques Wood carving tools  and linoleum cutters  offer you incredible precision and variety.  For example, you can score the skin so your light  shines through the pumpkin flesh.	More Veggies! Again, this is great for tiny tots who are looking to get involved.  Purchase gourds or other vegetables and use toothpicks  to keep the facial features in place.	Masked Avengers Buy masks  or make your own (MarthaStewart.com has vintage-inspired patterns), and carve the corresponding facial features into your pumpkin.	Celestial Pumpkins Not a fan of the scary side of Halloween?  Jack o'lanterns can do so much more than grimace and glare.  Drill holes and use Christmas lights  to give an ethereal appearance.

Related Guides

Halloween	Halloween Party Necessities	Haunted House Decorations	Hot Halloween Costumes	Horror and Suspense Films

External Links

• Wikipedia.org: The history of the jack o'lantern.
• eHow.com: A video series on pumpkin carving.
• TheFunTimesGuide.com: More information about carving tools.
• Kamose.DeviantArt.com: An excellent tutorial for intermediate to advanced carvers.
• eHow.com: A tutorial on using dremel tools.