Learn to carve a Halloween pumpkin and help celebrate the season!
What would Halloween be without at least one orange, carved pumpkin glowing in the dark Autumn night on your porch? Your children, if they are old enough, can carve out their own pumpkins, or, if they are too small, they can at least help you carve out a chosen design. The pumpkin can have a spooky, happy, or dopey face on it, or, you might choose to use a paper template to cut out a fancier design on the pumpkin.
You will need a nice-sized pumpkin that is big enough, and the right shape, to place the design of your choice on it. You will also need plenty of newspaper, a serrated knife, a paring knife, a long-handled spoon,a candle and a holder, or a small, battery-operated light. Some people prefer sticking to the old-fashioned way of illuminating their pumpkin by using a candle, but there are some advantages to using a battery-operated light instead. First, the light can't be blown out by the wind or a draft, and second, the light won't be a possible fire hazard if the pumpkin is accidentally knocked over, and third, little hands cannot get burned like theu can if they touch a real flame from a fire.
First, spread the newspaper thickly over a table or work surface. The newspaper will make the clean-up alot easier. Next, use the serrated knife to cut a wide circle around the stem of the pumpkin. Be sure to cut out the top at an angle. That is, cut the outside, (the rind part), of the top larger and the inside, (the fleshy part), smaller so the top won't fall into the inside. Make sure that you cut all the way through the thick pumpkin rind. Cut a hole large enough so that you will be able to reach into it with your hand and the long-handled spoon, and so that you will have enough room to place a lighting device inside it too.
Now, clean the flesh and the membrane off of the inside of the top. If you are going to light the pumpkin up with a candle, you will need to cut some small vent holes into the top so the heat can escape. After you cut the vents, set the top aside for now. Use the long-handled spoon to clean out the seeds and membrane that are on the inside of the pumpkin. Children can do this very well as their hands are smaller and they don't usually mind feeling the squishy stuff either.
Next, decide on what kind of face or drawing that you want to carve into your pumpkin. You can either purchase pre-made templates at your local craft or hobby store, or make your own by drawing a design on paper. Hold the template against the pumpkin firmly as you heavily trace over the design with a ball-point pen or thin-tipped magic marker. Finally, use the larger knife to cut out the big features and the paring knife to cut out smaller, detailed places in the design on your pumpkin. Carefully push out the cut pieces and place them on the newspaper covering.
When you have finished the carving, place the lighting device inside the pumpkin, replace the top, and place it on your porch, deck, or patio for all of the world to see and admire!
