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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

It’s almost Halloween! You know what that means … it’s time to get spooky. How many times have you done the standard “triangle eyes and spooky mouth” pumpkin? Sure, it’s a classic, you can’t really go wrong with it. But does your pumpkin really stand out? Would Martha Stewart be proud of you? Probably not — and that’s just sad. 

So, are you looking to have the best pumpkin on the block to attract all the trick or treaters or wow your party guests? Well, look no further, because I’ve collected the best pumpkin ideas to really turn heads this Halloween.

Pretty Pumpkins

These lace detailed pumpkins are some of the prettiest and most original I’ve seen: this is straight out of Pottery Barn’s fall décor section. This type of pumpkin is perfect for indoor decorations. To find out how to make this click here. Other pretty pumpkin designs could involve carvings or shavings of leaves, painting instead of carving or other delicate designs.

Spooky Pumpkins

Adding props to your carving can totally liven it up. By adding a fake limb and some blood you can turn your average pumpkin into the scariest on the block. Some other ideas to make your pumpkin scarier could be using toothpicks or fake nails as teeth, a smaller pumpkin or gourd in its mouth to make it a cannibal or just carve something truly terrifying into it, like “midterm marks are up.”

Pop Culture Pumpkins

This silhouette carving of the Little Mermaid is so stunning! You can change this up by doing any sort of movie or tv show related carving, as any pop culture reference would be sure to wow guests.

Why Not a Squash?

Using squashes instead of pumpkins is a fun take on your usual carving rituals that adds a fun twist and will surely turn heads.

Scraping is the New Carving?

This is a beautiful twist on the standard forms of pumpkin carving. Instead of cutting out your shapes, just stencil and scrape away until there’s a thin enough layer that your light will shine through.At the end of the day, we all know that the carving process with your friends or family is what’s really fun about the whole process — a gorgeous product at the end is just a bonus! Whatever kind of pumpkin you decide to carve, have fun and be creative!

For more ideas, check out Pinterest or Martha Stewart’s website!

Photos: Martha Stewart, Remove and Replace, StephieT, Martha Stewart, South Home Realty

Madeleine Prentice

Wilfrid Laurier '19

Madeleine is a fourth-year double English and Medieval and Medievalism Studies major at Wilfrid Laurier. She spends the majority of her time rambling about makeup, memes, and medievalism. On an average night, you can find her snuggled up with her cats watching Netflix and browsing the latest trends on social media. 
Madeline McInnis

Wilfrid Laurier '19

Madeline graduated from the BA+MA program at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2020. In her undergraduate degree, she majored in Film Studies and History with a specialization in film theory. She later completed her Master's of English degree, where she wrote her thesis on the construction of historical memory and realism in war films. If you're looking for a recommendation for a fountain pen or dotted notebook, she should be your first line of contact.