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Halloween is just around the corner! It's time to get creative.
Carving the jack-o'-lantern is one of my favorite Halloween traditions.
Sitting down with my family and collaborating on an idea for that year's pumpkin and then helping scoop out the "pumpkin guts" and watching as the jack-o'-lantern came to life with each carving pass my dad made was one of my highlights every Halloween.
The holiday, itself, was exciting, but I think the tradition of carving the pumpkin together was extra special because it allowed us—a busy family of six with chaotically busy schedules—to sit down as a unit, slow down a bit, and spend some time together while making some lifelong memories.
And those memories sure stayed with me because I carry on this holiday tradition to this day, first with my husband, and now with my twins.
I'll admit, there are times when the pumpkin plans overtake the costume coordination because that's how involved some carvings can get. And I'm okay with that. Because a) the pumpkin usually ties into the overall theme of our costumes, and b) being able to step back and admire what you've spent so much time working on and getting to hear your neighbors comment on the final product make it all worthwhile.
Collect your carving implements
Over the years, I've collected my own arsenal of pumpkin carving tools that have become essential to crafting the jack-o'-lantern every year.
Could you just use a big ol' kitchen knife to do the trick? Sure. But, you won't always get the end-product you're hoping for when you go that route.
Sometimes, you need the finesse and precision that come with the tools created just for this job.
Up your carving game by using the right tools.
First, think up your design. If you don't know what you want to carve or are drawing a blank, you can find something in this booklet.
Then, find the pumpkin that can help you bring your vision to life. Make sure it's big enough (height AND width) and watch out for any imperfections that can help or hinder your creation.
After that, make sure you've got the right instruments, and get to work.
Pumpkin Masters Pumpkin Carving Kit
This carving kit comes with one scoop that will help you get the cleanest innards you've ever seen on a pumpkin, one poker for tracing your design onto your surface, three saws for your various carving needs, and 10 patterns for your pumpkins.
Once you've cleaned out the pumpkin and traced your design onto your canvas, put the big guns to work.
Pumpkin Masters Power Saw
This power saw by Pumpkin Masters has an easy-grip design and interchangeable blades to give you maximum control and comfort while carving intricate designs.
If you have extra-intricate finagling that needs to be done on your masterpiece once you've used the above tools, I'd recommend investing in a kit that has the etching and sculpting tools you'll likely need to finish off your piece de resistance.
Comfy Mate 21-Piece Pumpking Carving Kit
This heavy-duty carving kit comes with 21 pieces, including a carrying case to hold all your stainless steel sculpting and etching tools, which are designed with matte, anti-slip handles that ensure a firm grip while you're working.
The clean-up and reveal
Once you're satisfied with your carving, clean up any last debris. I like to use a can of compressed air to get rid of any last pumpkin strings that are hanging around and then give the whole jack-o'-lantern a gentle wipe-down.
While we always used candles in our jack-o'-lanterns, now that we have twin toddlers racing around the house and grabbing everything in sight with great curiosity, we've opted for these battery-operated strobe LED lights and these flameless tealight candles to show off our pumpkin designs each year.
Aside from being toddler-friendly, they're even better for our set-up because you don't have to worry about them blowing out from rogue gusts of wind or the snow/rain/sleet combination we so often see in our area on most Halloween nights.
Just have fun
More than anything else, just have fun.
Your jack-o'-lanterns don't have to be fancy to make your Halloween memorable. What's going to stick out in your kids' minds are the songs you listened to while carving the pumpkin and the time you spent together while working on something side-by-side.
What made your Halloweens special? Was there a house on the block that went all out with decorations? Was it a memorable costume that got a lot of reactions? Was it enjoying roasted pumpkin seeds after carving the jack-o'-lantern? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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