The leaves are changing, temperatures slowly decline, sweaters appear and the demand for pumpkin spice lattes quickly goes up, all these indicate fall is here. It’s the season of the pumpkin, carved into jack-o’-lanterns, glowing to scare away Halloween ghosts, not to mention pumpkin pies, pumpkin-flavored donuts, cheesecakes and other pumpkin-flavored desserts. Probably the most fun and vibrant vegetables, pumpkins make great decorations, are super fun to carve, and make great memories along the way. With Halloween just around the corner, we’ve rounded up a gallery with the most beautiful and creative pumpkin carving ideas the internet has ever seen, along with some tips and tricks for your own jack-o’-lantern!
First, let’s find out why pumpkin carving is synonymous with Halloween
However you choose to celebrate autumn holidays, there is one tradition that will generally precede all festivities. And it involves pumpkins. Pumpkins go hand in hand with the fall holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Every fall, thousands and thousands of pumpkins are carved into scary shapes and lit up from the inside, but why do we even do that? Well, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is a popular tradition that originated hundreds of years ago in Ireland. The practice originated from a folk tale about a man named Jack who, after trying to trick the devil, was cursed to roam the earth with only a burning coal held inside a hollowed-out turnip. The British and Irish that moved to the US took this tradition with them, and discovered that pumpkins, a species native to America, were far easier to carve. That’s why you see jack-o’-lanterns on porches around Halloween.
Pumpkin carving tips & tricks
A great family activity for fall, pumpkin carving is a fun way to spend time with children, get creative and produce some pretty charming decorations for your home. Traditions aside, though, carving pumpkins tends to be messy, and it also can be a challenge to create the perfect jack-o-lantern. Whether you’re an experienced sculptor or just a beginner, helping children to carve their very own pumpkin, there are a few tips & tricks that can easily improve your results, making for a jack-o-lantern stand out from the rest.
• choose the right pumpkin, the one that is fresh, round in shape and with flat bottom for stability; bigger pumpkins are easier to carve, but before you grab the largest specimen, look for a solid pumpkin that is free of bruises, blemishes, or soft spots.
• use a template to perfect your spooky design; the art of carving a pumpkin gets more creative every year – using a stencil will help you improve your game!
• you’re only as good as your carving tools – use a large carving knife or even a serrated knife for cutting out the lid and add a mixing tool to your drill for an amazing pumpkin gutter. If you’re carving with kids, use a pumpkin carving set that includes a safety knife.
• adding lighting is a very important part of creating the atmosphere; candles are the traditional way of lighting a pumpkin, but it can be surprisingly hard to keep a candle lit inside a pumpkin, so make sure you provide enough oxygen to feed the flame by cutting “ears” or air holes in the sides and back of the pumpkin.
• if you want to keep your jack-o-lantern indoors, sprinkle his insides with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves – it will release a wonderful aroma of pumpkin pie
Creative pumpkin carving ideas for giving your pumpkin a touch of magic
If you’ve been reading us, you know that our décor finds are all about originality and creativity. So, if you’re you looking to try something different with your pumpkins this year this is the place to be. Sure, the spooky jack-o-lantern face is the traditional way to carve a pumpkin, but how about mixing it up this year with a creative take on the classic Halloween icon? Get ready to carve up some awesome jack-o-lanterns with these creative pumpkin carving ideas. From owls, monsters to cats, your trick-or-treaters are going to love seeing these creations! They’re a cut above the rest.
Owl pumpkin carving ideas
The owl has become a big part of our Halloween traditions. Owls have a dual symbolism of wisdom and darkness, the latter meaning evil and death. They are also symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection and magic. As far as cool pumpkin carving ideas go, the owl inspired ones takes the cake.
Witch pumpkin carving ideas
Trick or treating, pumpkins and witches represent the image of the Halloween all over the world. With a black cape, a pointed hat and a broom, the Halloween witch is known for cackling, brewing potions, and casting mean-spirited spells on innocents. Witches have become one of the most prominent symbols for Halloween along with bats, vampires, or goblins so they couldn’t miss from our list of cool pumpkin carving ideas.
Cat pumpkin carving ideas
Superstitions have surrounded cats (black ones in particular) for thousands of years — some good, some bad. In Medieval France and Spain, black cats were considered bringers of bad luck and curses to any human they came near, and were associated with witchcraft. Cat pumpkins can be such a beautiful and creative decor to welcome trick-or-treaters or Halloween guests with.
Horror movies inspired pumpkins
Carving pumpkins inspired by various movies, cartoons, books, even animals and food is among the hottest trends. As there is really nothing like watching a scary movie to test your fear capacity around Halloween, we thought to bring you some unique pumpkin carving ideas inspired by horror movie characters. Use your favorite horror movies as inspiration and the pumpkin you carve this year will be one for the Oscars!
Cute pumpkin carving ideas
Halloween decorations are usually an opportunity to revel in the gruesome and the gory, but not all Halloween pumpkins should be scary, especially if you have kids. For a happier holiday, use your skills to create something more beautiful and opt for floral patterns, butterflies, cuddly animals or Disney characters. Cute pumpkin faces will bring smiles to your friends, family, neighbors and trick-or-treaters.
Now that you have a few tips & tricks on how to carve pumpkins and some cool pumpkin carving ideas for inspiration, have some fun with your own jack-o-lanterns this Halloween!