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Traditional Halloween Decorations
Pumpkin facts
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Pumpkins are usually orange but they
can be white, tan, yellow, green red or blue!
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The word 'pumpkin' comes from the
Greek 'pepon' meaning 'large melon'! Shakespeare
calls them 'pumpion' in The Merry Wives of Windsor.
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American settlers created pumpkin pie
by removed the seeds, filling it with milk, spices
and honey and then baking it in hot ashes.
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An old wives' tale suggests eating
pumpkin for removing freckles.
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Some expert pumpkin carvers do
multi-level carvings. They use the skin as level
one, the flesh as level two etc.
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'Jack O’Lanterns' refers to Stingy
Jack from Irish mythology. He tricked the devil and
was not allowed into either heaven or hell. Jack had
to roam the earth with a glowing coal in a hollow
turnip.
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British and Irish people carved faces
into turnips or potatoes to scare Jack and other
spirits away. Early American settlers quickly found
 A Pumpkin
Carving Primer
Jack-'o-Lantern Designs from
FamilyFun.com
by Pam Glaven and Rani Arbo
For a brief few days
this October, jack-o'-lanterns will flicker across
America, the happy result of wicked imaginations,
fun-filled family afternoons and lots of elbow
grease. If your family is raring to carve pumpkins
this year, we've got the scoop on how to do it
right. Below you'll find a step-by-step carving
guide, tips for novice and veteran sculptors, and
three inspiring jack-o'-lantern designs (with
templates) from a
spooked pumpkin
kids can make with their own two hands to
Goodnight Moon pumpkin
and a howling
panther pumpkin.
CHOOSE A PUMPKIN
Whether you're picking your own or perusing a farm
stand or grocery store, look for pumpkins that are
large, ripe and have smooth, even surfaces and at
least a 2-inch stem (stemless, dented and bruised
pumpkins may already be in decline). If you plan to
light your jack-o'-lantern with a candle, the
pumpkin should be at least 9 inches high.
MAKE
A PATTERN
To design your own jack-o'-lantern, take a cue from
your pumpkin--is it tall, squat or blessed with a
curly stem or irregularity you can incorporate into
the design? What's the mood going to be-- scary,
goofy, artistic, just plain weird? Once you have a
plan, sketch your pattern with pencil and paper. If
drawing free hand doesn't appeal, or if you're aiming
for a complex pattern, use a stencil or template.
You can use the templates offered here or those
available on the Web and in carving kits.
CUT
OUT THE TOP (OR BOTTOM)
To make a lid, draw a circle or a hexagon at least 5
inches in diameter around the pumpkin's stem. Cut
out the lid at an angle (so that the outside edge is
larger than the inside) to keep it from slipping
inside. For a carving tool, we recommend a pumpkin
saw. Those using knives should carve gently and
steadily. (Tip: Don't slide the knife all the way
out of the pumpkin.) When the lid is free, scrape it
clean of seeds and pulp. Instead of removing the
top, you may choose to remove a section from the
bottom or side of the pumpkin. (This works well for
an unstable or small pumpkin, or for certain
designs, such as The Goodnight Moon pumpkin.)
SCRAPE OUT THE INSIDE
This delightfully slimy job calls for a large metal
spoon or an ice-cream scoop. Little kids can easily
remove all the seeds and mushy stuff. Then a
stronger pair of hands can take over scraping. The
thinner
the wall, the easier it is to carve and the brighter
your lantern will be. Scrape until you've had enough
or until the wall is 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (stop
before you compromise the strength of the walls). At
the base, flatten a spot for the candle (again,
don't make it too thin, or the bottom will rot).
TRANSFER THE PATTERN
There are two ways to transfer your design onto the
pumpkin. One is to copy it freehand onto a clean,
dry pumpkin with a water-based marker (mistakes can
be easily corrected with a paper towel). The other
is to tape your pattern or template to the pumpkin,
then score the design into the skin by poking holes
through the pattern with a nail or plastic poking
tool (available in some pumpkin-carving kits).
CARVE!
Okay, now you're ready to sculpt. Start at the
center of your design and work outward (this avoids
putting pressure on areas already carved). Begin
with the innermost and smallest features--eyes
before eyebrows, for instance--and try to carve the
inside lines of each feature before the outside
lines. Be gentle: If you're using a knife, run it
over each line a few times, rather than pushing all
the way through. Don't cut all the way to the end of
a line on the first cut. As each shape loosens up,
gently push it out of the pumpkin with a finger or a
dull pencil point (a good job for small kids).
Larger shapes, such as gap-toothed grins, may have
to be removed in pieces. Tip: If you cut something
you didn't intend to, perform an ad hoc pumpkin
surgery: Stick a toothpick through the flesh side of
the piece and fit it back into place.
EXPERIMENT WITH SHADING
You can create dramatic effects by letting
candlelight through the pumpkin in varying
intensity. For a shaded effect, don't cut all the
way through the pumpkin. Instead, make a shallow,
angled (or V-shaped) cut (1/8 to 1/2 inch, depending
on the thickness of the pumpkin wall), then peel
away the outer flesh with a knife tip, spoon or
vegetable peeler. You also can use deep, angled cuts
to remove larger pieces, so that the light reflects
off the walls of the hole.
TEST-DRIVE YOUR PUMPKIN
Now is the moment of truth. Place a candle inside
your pumpkin (votives are more stable than tapers).
Light the candle, put on the lid and turn out the
lights. If the candle doesn't stay lit, increase the
air supply either by enlarging some of the features
or by carving a vent on the back of the lid. Lastly,
put your jack-o'-lantern in a place of honor (away
from flammables) and remember to blow out all
candles before you go to sleep.
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