5 Tips for Carving the Perfect Pumpkin
Jack-o-lanterns are one of the most common decorations associated with Halloween. And they are a ton of fun to carve because you can make them as silly or scary as you want -- and you can get the whole family involved!
- When choosing your pumpkin, think about how you want to carve your pumpkin. Pumpkins come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so choose accordingly!
- Draw your design onto the pumpkin using a pencil before you begin. It will be a lot easier to carve along a line than to just start carving on a whim. And if you don’t like the design of your jack-o-lantern, you can easily erase the pencil marks and draw a new one.
- To keep your small children involved in the pumpkin carving, you can have them help with scooping out the seeds or drawing the face onto the pumpkin. Or another option is to buy a small sized pumpkin for them to paint and decorate on their own!
- Instead of throwing out all of the pumpkin seeds after you are done carving, stick them in the oven to be baked. They are a healthy, nutritious snack and are quite delicious! One fourth of a cup of pumpkin seeds has nine grams of protein.
- Once you are done carving, it’s time to put your jack-o-lantern on display. Place glow sticks or small flashlights inside of it instead of candles to avoid fire hazards. It won’t be as big of a deal if someone accidently knocks it over while in a rush to get candy.
Penelope