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Pumpkin Carving Halloween Party

One of my favorite Halloween parties is a family-style pumpkin carving fest! This is a great way to get your jack-o-lantern ready for trick-or-treat night and share in the fun and mess of pumpkin carving. 

Here are some quick ideas to make your pumpkin carving Halloween party a huge success:

• Go online and find clever pumpkin carving templates. You can also cut out magazine pictures of great work to serve as a starting point for those who aren’t sure where to begin.
• Make sure you have a variety of carving tools on hand. You’ll need sharp knives in a variety of sizes, large spoons for scooping out seeds and kid-friendly carving tools with rounded edges. You might also want to have rubber gloves handy for the guests who are a bit squeamish about pumpkin innards.
• Set up a series of tables covered in newspaper. Have a bucket full of tools in the center of each table so everything is easily accessible.
• Also include a large bowl in the center of each table to save the seeds. While everyone is carving, gather the seeds, clean them and remove all the pumpkin flesh, and spread seeds flat on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle seeds lightly with Kosher salt and olive oil and bake at 300° for 30-45 minutes. Once the outsides are brown, transfer seeds to pumpkin themed plastic bags, and voila, you have a perfect party favor to offer parting guests.
• Decorate with pumpkins galore. Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns are a great way to show-off Halloween spirit without being too scary. This is a great way to get little ones excited about the holiday.
• Use clever pumpkin Halloween party invitations to spread the word with friends, family and neighbors.

The key to a successful pumpkin carving party is preparedness. Make sure you have enough pumpkins, tools, candles and inspiration to get everyone diving into the good stuff. When guests are finished, don’t forget to line up all the glowing faces for a spooky photo opportunity. 

Don't have time to carve your own pumpkin? Check out this cool pumpkin Halloween decoration that will light the way for trick or treaters right to your door. 

Enjoy Planning.
Penelope