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by: PhilSikes
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Word Count: 449

Nothing says "Halloween" like a hand carved pumpkin, dimly lit from within by a candle that sheds light on its eerily creepy face. Yes, year after year, jack-o-lanterns continue to be a very important part of Halloween.

The original jack-o-lanterns in Ireland and Scotland were usually made out of turnips, and smaller than the pumpkin version that has become the standard Halloween design in America. The great thing about using a pumpkin is that it is easier to carve, and you have so much more scope to design an impressive face on the side of a pumpkin. Pumpkins come mostly in either grey or orange. It is the orange color that has become most associated with Halloween.

Your pumpkin should not be too ripe. There are two main ways you can tell: when you tap the side of the pumpkin it should sound firm and not hollow, and it should not have a strong ripe pumpkin smell. Check the appearance as well. You want a smooth high and round shape without too many bruises or blemishes, and good color. Be careful not to carry your pumpkin by the stem: it may break off in your hand and you could find your pumpkin smashed on the floor.

To prepare your pumpkin, first clean and dry it. Cut a small circle around the stem and remove the top. Dig in and remove the seeds and soft flesh from inside the pumpkin, leaving a thick wall of flesh inside the skin. Scrape the inside until you have a firm and fairly smooth surface all round, and a flat base where you will stand a candle - one of those short fat candles is ideal.

Removing all the pumpkin innards is done most easily with a big spoon. After you do that, you can move onto the face carving process.

Some people grab a kitchen knife at this point, and start hacking away. There is a better approach. First, work on your design. You can buy stencils with intricate jack-o-lantern faces, or you can design your own on a sheet of paper with a pen or pencil. You might even find one you could print from the internet. A great design makes all the difference to how your jack-o-lantern will look, and will likely be a lot more detailed than something you work on as you go.

Once your paper design is complete, tape it onto the pumpkin in the position you want it. Then, punch lots of small holes with a sharp instrument in the pumpkin flesh, following your pattern.

When you take the paper off, your design will be outlined on the pumpkin and very easy to carve out exactly how you want it.

About the Author

It's not too early to start planning your Halloween costumes for this year. Don't wait until the good ones are all sold out. Get lots of fun costume ideas on the Get In Costume website, where you can also get a free copy of my report "The Family Guide To Halloween Safety.".

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