Jack-O-Lantern | Wikipedia

Fall is here, you know what that means. It’s the time when Instagram pictures of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Pinterest boards of pumpkin-themed home décor and Facebook albums of cute pumpkin patch pictures take over the Internet.

Do you see the common theme? It’s pumpkins! During a season that centers on characters, Jack-o‘-lanterns are the best way to combine the fall and the Halloween spirit. So before you Yelp the nearest pumpkin patch, check out some of our tips for pumpkin carving and characters.

Six Pumpkin Carving Tips

1.) The bigger the better! You’ll want lots of room for your design and lots of room to show off your masterpiece so go big or go home. You’ll also want to scavenge to find lighter colored pumpkins. These tend to be softer, and therefore easier to carve, while pumpkins with bruises and/or moldy stems will go bad fairly quickly.

2.) If you don’t want your pumpkin top to fall through, cut your lid at a 45-degree angle. Avoid cutting straight down, for there will be no place to rest the lid and you’ll have a topless Jack-o’-lantern. 

3.) Any knife or tool with a serrated edge will essentially work to carve the actual pumpkin, but it is easier to be resourceful when choosing your scooping instruments. Any large spoon or ice cream scooper should suffice in scooping out the remains of your pumpkin friend. Try to leave about a one-inch thick wall though, for optimum duration and light-up ability

4.) To prolong the life of your pumpkin friend, put it in a plastic bag, like a grocery bag, when it’s not being used. Until you want the pumpkin used as a display again, keep it in your refrigerator so that it stays fresh, clean and beautiful.

5.) Once you have your design (which we will help inspire you about in a minute), you can make a template of it to help you carve your work of art. Depending on your level of artistic ability, you can either sketch your pattern, or print it off of the Internet, if it’s available there. Next, tape your paper template onto your pumpkin. Using a sharp edge like a knife or scissors, you can next cut out the areas that you plan to carve. You can also trace your design on the pumpkin with a dark marker, and then remove the paper and carve using the markings. Another alternative with the paper template is using pushpins to outline your design. You’ll play connect-the-dots as you carve the lines with this version.

6.) For a safer way to light up your Jack-o’-lantern, consider using a small battery-powered candle as opposed to an actual flame. Not only is this much more durable and longer-lasting, but this method is significantly less dangerous and stressful.

Bonus tip: Save the pumpkin seeds when cleaning your pumpkin. You can clean and toast them later for a tasty and healthy (plus fall appropriate) snack. 

Six Pumpkin Carving Character Ideas

1.) Your favorite TV character

Is there a fictional TV show character that you have a crush on, admire or simply just are enthralled by? Why not pay homage through a pumpkin? For example, 2013 may be referred to by history books as the year that the best television drama series ever concluded, so why not commemorate everyone’s favorite family man turned meth emperor with a pumpkin? Good old Google has plenty of images of these characters so just choose your favorite and get carving. 

Walter White pumpkin (Twitter/@noahtmeyer)

2.) Your favorite school or sports team

Whether you’re a Trojan or a Bruin, a Dodgers or a Giants fan or a Lakers or a Celtics fan, a pumpkin is a creative way to show your team pride. A specific player, the team’s logo or even a number will do; there are myriad options with this one. Maybe your Jack-o’-lantern will even serve as good luck for an upcoming game. 

Clay Matthews pumpkin (Twitter/@republikofbeth)

3.) Your favorite catchphrase

Your own personal motto or a borrowed mantra will work for this design. Honor a show like “How I Met Your Mother” and carve “Suit Up” into your pumpkin it could be clever and cute plus most people should understand the reference. If you plan on only displaying your Jack-o’-lantern to an intimate group of friends an inside joke or personal catchphrase might garner some laughs. Either way, it will be fairly simple to stencil letters into your pumpkin for a clean-cut design.

"Suit Up" pumpkin (Twitter/@sclements12)

4.) Your favorite cartoon character

Again, the Internet will be your friend to help you find a template to stencil your favorite cartoon character into a pumpkin.  Do you want to do a throwback to the 90s? You can do a Pokémon Jack-o’-lantern and bring back the days of Pikachu and Charmander through your Halloween spirit. Spongebob also has lots of potential to be a hit. If you have a lot of time and a lot of pumpkins available you could even go all out and make a whole cast.

Pokemon pumpkin (Twitter/@Nyleak)

5.) Your favorite bevarage

Fanta? Coca-Cola? Jack Daniels? The possibilities are endless with this theme. Yes, Halloween is all about candy and treats, so spice things up a bit and remind people to stay hydrated during this sugar-centered season

Jack Daniels pumpkin (Twitter/@HAMword)

6.) Your favorite Halloween-themed movie

An obvious Halloween movie like “Halloween” or even a flick with Halloween subjects, like “Ghostbusters” will be good for this idea. With lots of options to choose from in terms of movie selection and with the wide array of movie posters or recognizable scenes that come with most Halloween films, you really could just buy ten pumpkins and make your own personal display of your favorite seasonal movies. 

"Ghostbusters" pumpkin (Twitter/@ScottKirsner)

Now that you have tips for how to carve a pumpkin, and inspiration for what to carve, you can go get started on your Jack-o’-lantern! Start off the Halloween season with a festive bang, and get carving!

Reach Staff Reporter Samantha Jacobs here.

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