Carving A Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin

Since the cut edges of the pumpkin are exposed to the air, they could rot or develop mold quicker. Pat the cut edges dry with a paper towel before rubbing a thin layer of petroleum jelly over the exposed skin. Make simple shape cutouts with cookie cutters and a rubber mallet. If you want to add some striking designs to your pumpkin, hold a cookie cutter against your pumpkin. Tap the cookie cutter gently with a rubber mallet to push it through the pumpkin’s skin.

Don't just dive in there and start hacking away with a knife. Exposure to oxygen and loss of moisture into dry air also contribute to the breakdown. There are a few things you can do so your carved pumpkin stays reasonably firm and attractive for as long as possible.

Use an up-and-down sawing or rocking motion to cut through the skin. Start by making rough cuts to remove large sections and go back to clean up the edges. Follow our pumpkin carving tips to look like a pro when carving your next Jack-o’-Lantern.

Evan and Soria have found that putting jack-o’-lanterns right outside your door can dissuade larger animals from stopping by for a bite. We do not recommend brining pumpkins, spraying them with bleach or, um, coating them in WD-40, as some questionable advisors on the internet might suggest. Any of these options can be harmful to wildlife—not to mention KrazyKidz that they are a lot of work for what might still be little or no payoff.

Try cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin instead. That way, you can just set a candle or light on the cut-out base and put the pumpkin on top instead of reaching inside to light it. One option is to go online and find a design idea or stencil for your pumpkin. Pinterest is full of nearly endless ideas for designs, and there are plenty of other websites with great ideas, too. You can also buy a book of Jack O'Lantern stencils, or simply use tracing paper to trace a design out of one of your child's favorite books and tape it to your pumpkin.