GoodGrandma℠ would like to share some of our favorite pumpkin carving traditions. First, you need to find just the right pumpkin. Next, decide how to carve your Jack-O-Lantern, and last, take a picture of your creation.
Finding the Right Pumpkin
Over the years we have tried a variety of ways to find the right pumpkin. We have tried local pumpkin patches, farms, and the grocery store. The key to a good pumpkin for the purposes of a Jack-O-Lantern is not to get your pumpkin too soon. You don’t want the pumpkin to rot before Halloween arrives.
Carving a Jack-O-Lantern
Carving can take place outside, if weather permits, or inside. You can use trash bags as liner. Cut the sides of the trash bags and create a tablecloth you can throw away. Start by cutting the top. It’s important to cut it at an angle so the top won’t fall in, and have a way to easily tell which way the top goes on.
Next, use a lid from a canning jar to scrap the insides of the pumpkin. If you save the seeds you can soak them and roast them for a delicious treat. Be sure to not flick the pumpkin guts as you are cleaning out your pumpkin.
Then plan out the face of your Jack-O-Lantern. A few helpful tools: chopstick, straight pin, a knife (of course), and a marker. Take your time and create a masterpiece.
Picture Time
When your Jack-O-Lantern is complete, now it’s time for a picture. Line up the pumpkins and the kids and take a few photos for posterity.
Our Tradition
Our family tradition was to line up the pumpkins and take a picture of everyone’s Jack-O-Lantern. Here are a few photos from the past.