Have you ever carved a pumpkin?

@66Mustang, thank you. To be fair that was the response from most adults, the kids loved it. What I would really like to try is the ones where they shave off the outer skin, and some of the pulp so you get different shades of light, but have never found the tools to do so which were comfortable to use and with enough control.

I don't use a knife as I have trouble with knives and also there is a tool specially for carving pumpkins. I don't know what it's called but it looks like a serrated blade but not too sharp, with the blades on both sides so you can carve in either direction.

It helps a lot though and is much safer!!

The basic pumpkin set tends to be a serrated knife, as described by @66Mustang and a scoop. While it can take some work to use I would definitely recommend using them. With a sharp knife it can be incredibly ease to have an accident.

Cut off the top.

Make sure remove all the slushy stuff from inside so you are left with the outer skin and pulp (solid bit of the insides.)

You can download designs which you can print, cut out the parts you need to cut from the pumpkin, and tape to the pumpkin, or draw your design onto the pumpkin, with a pencil or thin pen for guidance. Which ever you choose keep your design simple.

For beginners I would definitely recommend avoiding designs with thin connections to the main part of the pumpkin. IE if you do a cat give it a thick tail, it can be easy to cut off the connection. For the basic face think about how you are going to give it expression.

While candles are the norm, consider using the small electrical T Candles, or normal T Candles. If you are going to have it in your home, and using a real candle, consider getting ones with a suitable scent.

Most important tip though, is have fun and don't worry too much about imperfections.

There are a lot of free templates on line, or books that you can buy, but please remember to try and avoid those with thin connections of pumpkin left. If you find a design you like an it has some you could adapt it a little to make the connections more solid.

There are also you tube videos you can watch. The one in the picture was done in 2013, just checked  Amazon and they have a number of carving tips so might order one of the better ones and give it another go this year

@Tori_Scope my daughter read this and has another tip.

Once you have your outline the basic kit comes with a punch hole. Once you have your design on the pumpkin put regular holes in the outline. This will make cutting the pieces out a lot easier.

Before cutting if you are likely to forget which parts need to be cut out, then fill these pieces in with pencil or pen. Any pen or pencil lines left can be removed using a damp cloth.

@Tori_Scope the orange bit is thin, more of what you are cutting through is the pulp. This can be thinned out from the inside by scraping it, but worth remembering that while you can make it thinner if you make it too thin you cannot add to it.

Fun fact, they used to carve faces into turnips, and this was common in Celtish countries like Ireland and Scotland. Jack O'Lantern comes from an Irish myth centred on a character called Stingy Jack who tricked the devil twice, so he would not claim his soul. When he died God would not let such an unsavoury character into heaven, and the devil, keeping his promise, would not let him into hell. So the devil gave him a piece of burning coal and sent him into the night. Jack put the burning coal into a carved out turnip. Originally referred to as Jack of the Lantern and later simplified to Jack O'Lantern.

When the Irish started moving to America and found pumpkins, which were bigger and easier to carve they started using them instead.

The smiley @Tori_Scope ?

you could always add down slanting eyebrow slots to make it an evil smile. Or maybe just leave well alone 🤣

Well done @Tori_Scope it's harder then you think isn't it - but you have done a good job for your first attempt, did you enjoy it x
I've got to say @Geoark i have enjoyed reading your tips, given me a couple of idea's to try this year.
Going with your information about the turnips, i can remember doing our lanterns with swedes when we were young, many moons ago, i don't think we had pumpkins or i never seen them or perhaps my Mom and Dad couldn't afford them back then ?? 

thats nice to hear @Tori_Scope and good you made an event of it - were never to old to learn something new ha ha x

@SueHeath thinking about it I don't remember seeing them when I was growing up, spoke to the better half and she can't remember them either. I do recall at some point reading about swedes being used, but cannot recall ever using them myself.

As an adult halloween quickly became my favourite time of year, and loved organising community activities for children and adults. I am hoping to start them again next year.