By Lila Simmons
The tradition of pumpkin carving always brings me back to my childhood. Memories of getting together with friends and family to watch scary movies, stuff our faces with candy corn, and carve pumpkins always come to mind when thinking about Halloween. I can vividly recall always wanting to carve the “perfect” pumpkin, and spending way too much time looking for the most unique carving idea. If you’re still looking for a way to get in the Halloween spirit, pumpkin carving is a perfect idea- I’ve curated a list below, of some of the most classic and creative Jack-O-Lantern ideas, all the way from cute to scary.
1. The Classic Jack-O- Lantern- Carve your pumpkin with the nist classic design, or even better, carve it dependent on your mood. If you’re leaning into the scary side this Halloween, carve a scary grin on your pumpkin; feeling silly this season, opt for more of a toothy-grin. Both of the looks can be done freehandley, or with one of countless downloadable templates.
2. A Pumpkin Cottage- This cute idea works as more of a home decor carving idea. Turn your pumpkin into a halloween cottage or haunted house even, by carving a door and windows. There is room for design with this idea, from simple to advanced details. Get as creative as you want by adding steps outside of your pumpkin, or outer decorations.
A pro-tip for your pumpkin carving endeavors: sketch on your pumpkin before you carve! This step allows for minimal mistakes with your design. I usually sketch with a black sharpie so it’s pretty visible.
3. The “Puking Pumpkin”- This one can get messy. It’s perfect for an outside display of your Jack-O-Lantern, and is sure to make people laugh. The key to this one is saving the pumpkin “guts” and arranging them to come out of your pumpkin’s mouth. You can even carve your pumpkin’s eyes in a squinting face to resemble the theme more.
4. Cookie Cutter Pumpkins- This idea is perfect for everyone looking for a “cute” pumpkin carving for this season. It’s also perfect if you want to achieve a cute look using minimal effort. Grab your favorite ghost, bat, and spider metal cookie cutters, and push them into your pumpkin for your design!
Another tip for carvings would be to cut a small hole in the bottom of your pumpkin to get rid of any bumps. This hack will allow your pumpkin to sit flat on whatever surface it’s on, making it less likely to tip over and get ruined.
5. Candy Bowl Pumpkin- If you’re looking to carve something useful for this Halloween, turn your pumpkin into a candy bowl for yourself, or Trick or Treaters. Carve a circle on the top of your pumpkin and be sure to thoroughly clean it out. To add a face or design to your pumpkin, trace a design and simply scrape away, rather than carving all the way through, to spice it up.
Edited by Maddie Mallon