How to Carve a Pumpkin
There are few things that scream Halloween more than a giant grinning jacklanterns'>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 meddling 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
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.
* '''
Carving Tools and Kits
It used to be that any old Themed Kits
If you've mastered all of the 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.
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