Pumpkin is the main symbol of Halloween (or All Saints' Day). Why exactly a pumpkin and why are brutal muzzles carved on it?
The tradition of carving lanterns from vegetables comes from Ireland and Great Britain and goes back to the time of the Celtic Druid monks, who used these sinister-looking lanterns to drive out demons and evil spirits.
Usually, lanterns were cut from turnips, beets and rutabaga, and until the 19th century had nothing to do with All Saints' Day at all.
The custom of carving a pumpkin for Halloween comes from North America, where the pumpkin was associated with the harvest season. The American pumpkin lantern was named the Jack-O-Lantern and became the official symbol of Halloween in 1866.
Who is Jack Lantern?
The pumpkin flame flickering in the darkness symbolizes the souls of the dead, wandering between heaven and hell.
The legend says that once there lived a negligent farmer, a drunkard and a thief Jack. One day, Jack was running from angry peasants whom he had robbed. And then on the way he met the devil, who announced to Jack that the hour of his death had come. Cunning Jack persuaded the devil to delay death in exchange for the opportunity to bewitch the righteous peasants who were chasing the thief. He suggested that the devil turn into a coin, with which Jack will pay for the stolen things, and when the devil / coin disappears, the peasants will fight with each other, finding out who stole it. The devil agreed and, turning into a silver coin, jumped into Jack's pocket. But he was immediately deprived of his witchcraft power, as he was next to the cross that Jack stole in the village. Jack promised to let the devil go if he promised not to take his soul to hell.
When the time of death came, Jack could not go to heaven because of his sinful life, but he was not allowed into hell either, as promised. It was dark all around and Jack had nowhere to go. He asked for a lantern, and the devil mockingly threw him embers from hellish hell. Jack carved a lantern out of a pumpkin, put coals in it and began to roam the earth in search of rest.
How to carve a pumpkin for Halloween (Jack O'Lantern)?
You will need:
Knife with a sharp and short blade. It is most convenient to make cuts with a small saw or a short knife with a serrated sharpening, a penknife, and a nail file. If possible, it is best to immediately purchase a special carving kit that includes all the necessary tools. It is more difficult to work with ordinary knives with a pumpkin. A carving knife costs around 50 UAH, and the set shown in the picture below is 300 UAH.
Pattern with a smiley
Awl (thick needle, ballpoint pen)
Scraper (blade)
Cutting board
Candle. Do not take too high a candle, otherwise the top wall of the pumpkin may burn. If there are small children in the house and you are afraid of experimenting with fire, a regular flashlight will do.
Halloween Pumpkin Carving Instructions
1. Pumpkin selection. Choose the most beautiful, most proportional, round and orange pumpkin. Choose only ripe fruits with a smooth and dense surface without damage or stains. It is desirable that the pumpkin is symmetrical. Pay attention to the tail (stalk) of the pumpkin. It should be firm, dry and at least 5 cm long. Pumpkins that have begun to deteriorate will drop their tails. If you plan to place a candle inside later, it is recommended to pick up a fruit more than 20 cm in height. Remember, we don't care what kind of pumpkin tastes, we are only interested in its appearance after carving. Reminder: pumpkin, especially if not air-dried, starts to rot in 5-7 days, so it's best to cook it 3-4 days before the holiday.
2. Wash, dry, paint. Wash and dry the selected pumpkin. If this is your first time carving a pumpkin, put your knife aside and grab a marker first. You will draw lines with them, along which you will then make cutouts. Make sure the marker is easy to remove from the surface and leaves no marks.
3. Scrub the pumpkin. The Jack O'Lantern work begins with carving the top of the pumpkin. You can also cut not the top of the pumpkin, but the bottom. This option is appropriate for those who do not plan to put a candle inside, but want to insert a candle jar or a flashlight.
Cut off the lid along the contour with a knife, which must be held at an angle to make a cone-shaped cut: so your lid (in the end) does not fall inside the “head”. To remove the lid, pull on the stem and twist the lid if necessary. Trim off any excess flesh and fibers from the lid if using.
Next, we need to clean the inside of the pumpkin. It is very convenient to clean the seeds and pulp directly with your hands. To do this, use a special spoon for the pulp. In the absence of such a tool, you will have to work hard with an ordinary tablespoon. Remove all the insides from the pumpkin, scrape everything off the walls. If the pumpkin is large, then the upper hole should be no smaller than your fist so that your hand can freely penetrate inside.
For optimal results, the wall thickness on the side of the pumpkin where you will cut the face should be 2-3 centimeters. There is no need to carefully scrape the walls, otherwise the thin peel will be left without support and will fall through. The teeth on the knife leave small notches. The edges of the cut need to be trimmed a little.
4. Drawing a pattern on a pumpkin. Now you can move on to drawing patterns on the sides of the pumpkin.
Draw a sketch first on paper, make sure that's what you want. Keep in mind that straight lines are much easier to cut later than rounded ones. We attach the drawing with electrical tape to the smooth and beautiful side of the pumpkin and with an awl (ballpoint pen) we outline the outline that is imprinted on the peel. Paint over the places on the pumpkin that will be carved so that they are better visible. In this case, it will be easier for you to cut.
Stencils for pumpkins
In the absence of artistic skills, the option using a stencil (template) is perfect for you. Several examples are presented below. By printing such templates on paper, you can greatly facilitate your work and are not afraid for the result.
5. Cut out the pattern. Place the tip of the knife on the contour and gently press it. In order to cut the pumpkin, use the reciprocating motion. Take your time, try to stick to the contour as closely as possible. If you need to make a sharp corner, then pull out the knife and insert it at a new angle.
6. Making lighting. After finishing work, leave the pumpkin to dry.
If inside the pumpkin is lightly sprinkled with cinnamon, then the aroma from such a special candle will fill the whole house with a holiday in minutes.
Then you can install lighting. It can be a small candle, a garland or a lantern. You can place a candle (or several candles) inside the pumpkin. Place the candle in a glass cup and leave the top of the gourd open for ventilation. Another alternative would be a small flashlight.
Video lesson "How to carve a pumpkin for Halloween"
It seems that the pumpkin is specially created for creativity. Interesting vases, openwork candlesticks or decorative lanterns are far from the whole list of what can be made from this autumn fruit. Grinning faces will create a fabulous atmosphere in your home, floral or geometric patterns will complement natural materials and become an original decor item for any interior, and vampires, bats and evil spirits will terrify not only children, but also adults. Moreover, very soon the gates between the material and other worlds will be reopened, all evil spirits will descend to earth and most people, according to the good old Celtic tradition, will honor evil spirits by celebrating Halloween.
An integral attribute of this "horrible" holiday - the pumpkin head - owes its appearance to the Irish legend about an old farmer named Jack, who not only led a vicious life, but twice deceived the devil himself, after which he was doomed to wander around the world after death with a pumpkin head and ember inside her.
But enough theory: it's time to start from words to deeds. And today we will tell you not only how to choose, prepare and make a pumpkin for Halloween, but also share interesting and useful ideas.
Pumpkin for Halloween: step by step instructions
Choosing a fruit
In order to create a pumpkin arrangement that will scare evil spirits away from your home, you first need to choose the “right” vegetable. Actually, a fairly even pumpkin with an intact surface and no rotten places is ideal for this role. Moreover, it should be a fresh fruit, which will have a soft peel that can be easily processed. By the way, in order not to make a mistake and not accidentally buy a spoiled pumpkin, first pull its tail: if it easily lags behind, then most likely it has already begun to rot from the inside.
Cooking Tools
It is equally important to prepare the tools themselves. To carve a Halloween pumpkin, you will need several thin, well-sharpened knives with blades of various lengths (you can also use woodworking tools), a sturdy tablespoon, a felt-tip pen or marker for drawing, and a small candle.
Making a pumpkin
Now that the prep work is done, you can start creating!
To do this, using a marker at the base of the pumpkin (where the tail grows), mark the “lid” in the form of a simple circle or polygon. Then, using a knife, cut it off. At the same time, in order to get a tapered cutout, and as a result your cover does not fall inside the "head", hold it at an angle of 45 degrees. This is a rather time-consuming process, so you will have to be patient and make a lot of effort.
After the "trepanation" is completed, it's time to "cleanse" your beauty. It is much more convenient to start freeing it from the pulp and seeds directly with your hands. And then, using a tablespoon, scrape off the remaining fibers from the inner walls. Remember that the optimal wall thickness of the pumpkin in the part where you are going to cut the face is 2-3 centimeters.
Your pumpkin is almost ready, it remains only to make a funny or evil face for it, or maybe not even a face .... Whatever it is, draw a sketch first on paper, make sure it's exactly what you imagined - and you can safely transfer the drawing to the peel.
Next, paint over with a marker those places that you are going to cut out so that they are better visible, and, armed with a kitchen or penknife, proceed to the “jewelry” work. Use reciprocating movements for this, trying to adhere to the contour as closely as possible. Do not hurry. If necessary, pull out the tool and insert it at a new angle.
To complete the composition, insert a candle inside the pumpkin head, light it and close the pumpkin with a lid again.
How to make a pumpkin for Halloween - video
TOP 10 Pumpkins for Halloween: Interesting Ideas
familiar character
A pumpkin with a glowing scary face for Halloween is a classic version of holiday decor. However, you don't have to literally go to standards to create predictable looks - it's Halloween! Especially in the 21st century. Approach the task creatively. Twist the fruit in your hands - perhaps, along with inspiration, new ideas will come to your mind. For example, if instead of trivial round, square or triangular elements of the “face”, you cut out crosses, stars or even bats, then you will already add a little personality to a separate pumpkin. If you are a fan of more unconventional solutions, let's experiment together with more unconventional and sophisticated approaches to design!
famous lantern
Have you ever wondered why, when carving various faces from pumpkins, everyone calls them a lantern? After all, a lantern should be a lantern! It doesn't matter, old or modern, camping or garden, but a lantern. Are you of the same opinion? Then, choosing any image of the lantern you like, transfer it to the pumpkin, and, armed with a thin knife, cut out only that part of it through which the light should be visible. Place a candle inside - and your pumpkin will take on an original look.
Pumpkin in a pumpkin
As you understand, Halloween is also a competition among pumpkins. Therefore, it is quite realistic to see a pumpkin horror movie devouring another monster ...
To create a similar composition, you will need a huge and a very small pumpkin (you can also use an orange and a pumpkin of any size). And then proceed according to the worked out scheme: having come up with a more terrible face, cut it out. At the same time, when you need to cut out the mouth, it is best to start with its narrower part, and make the wide hole for the “victim” narrower at first, gradually cutting it so that it does not fall out of the mouth.
Snowman Jack
As you know, always and everywhere there is a place for something good and bright. Therefore, although Halloween is a time of revelry of evil spirits, not everything on it should be evil and scary. In addition, there is not much time left until winter, which means it's time to remember about snowmen.
Agree, Jack the pumpkin snowman meeting right at the front door of the invited guests will make a splash. A hat, a collar from an old shirt, 2-3 buttons, felt-tip pens, a cork from a bottle of wine and a little glue will help you make a fat good man who will become an unusual holiday decoration for your home.
Halloween lacy pumpkin
But what if we digress even more from the “ugly” topic and try to make something beautiful and airy? Say, master the technique of painting? Moreover, in order to create such beauty, you only need acrylic paints, a brush, a glass outline and a few toothpicks.
First, cover the pumpkin with an even layer of paint and let it dry thoroughly. After your fingerprints do not remain on it, using a toothpick, draw some interesting pattern on the pumpkin, and then steal it with the outline. Or immediately decorate the peel with openwork leaves, geometric shapes or mysterious symbols. Do not limit your imagination - and you will get not only an original decor element, but also a great gift for friends.
Glamor pumpkin
When glamor goes out of fashion, many will probably breathe a sigh of relief, but for now, glossy stories are a source of inspiration when working on decorating a festive interior, especially when it comes to creating a terribly beautiful decor. Gold or silver plating, rhinestones, sequins - there is nothing easier than making such a glamorous pumpkin. Or you can paint the fruit black, draw a skull and crossbones on it with silver, and glue a decorative pink organza bow on top - and then you will get a pumpkin in the style of punk glamour.
Pumpkin that vomited
Perhaps such an idea seems disgusting, but believe me, such a vile image looks very impressive. The secret is that you carve the pumpkin according to a well-known pattern, but unlike the traditional mug, its mouth should be wide open, and the eyes widened and slightly slanted.
In addition, after you free her from seeds and pulp, put part of the cleaned entrails into her mouth so that they seem to hang and fall out, and part below her. By the way, the same idea can also be used to decorate a festive table, just put not the insides in the pumpkin’s mouth, but some real appetizer or sauce.
Text messages
Agree that a romantic message carved into a pumpkin by some shy guy who can't wait for Valentine's Day looks sincere and sweet. What if it was also carved with a sign for a party, the logo of a symbolic musical group, mysterious spells or thematic phrases, such as "In the witch's house" or "Beware. Zombie!"? Depending on the size of your pumpkin, cut out one word or a whole phrase on it, and also write them by letters or syllables into several pumpkins of approximately the same size and put them in the desired sequence.
pumpkin hamburger
Believe it or not, but on your Halloween table, a pumpkin can become not only a decor item, but also completely indispensable, using it as dishes. Alternatively, it can be arranged in the form of a huge hamburger. To do this, cut the pumpkin in half and remove the core. Next, put a large chop instead of the usual cutlet, slices of cheese, tomato slices, lettuce on one half, and cover your “sandwich” with the other half, decorating it with seeds that you cleaned from the core like sesame seeds.
functional gourd
As they say, good does not disappear, so you can try to make the pumpkin not only beautiful, but also useful. For example, if you decide to have a holiday and invite guests, then a pumpkin is quite capable of replacing your refrigerator. Cut it in half, cut out the core, fill it with crushed ice and place bottles of drinks. Such an extraordinary "dish" will come in handy and will be remembered by your guests for a long time. And there are many such examples! The main thing is to give free rein to your imagination.
Try to make your Halloween pumpkin original and interesting. Happy All Saints Day to you!
Vladislav Esmanovich for the site
There is very little time left before Halloween, which means that the preparation of costumes and makeup, the search for "terrible" Halloween recipes and horror stories to decorate the house are in full swing. As you know, a Halloween pumpkin is considered a mandatory attribute, because it is the main symbol of the holiday. Surely, she will stand in every home of those who celebrate Halloween. Ever wondered why pumpkin? I will reveal a terrible secret, initially it was a turnip, and not even in America, as many people think, but in Ireland! In general, the story of a Halloween pumpkin, or rather Jack's lantern, is creepy to match the holiday, so before you cut out another scary muzzle, you should get to know Jack better.
Once upon a time in Ireland there lived a very cunning and stingy farmer named Jack. Once, while drinking ale in a tavern, he met the Devil himself, they drank together, and when Jack had no money left to pay for another mug of booze, the Devil agreed to pay in exchange for the farmer's soul. To do this, the Devil had to turn into a coin, and the cunning Jack, instead of paying, simply put this coin in his pocket, where there was a silver cross that did not allow the Devil to take on his original appearance. The trapped Devil agreed to any conditions, so Jack bargained for himself a few years of a quiet life and a promise never to take his soul to hell.
After some time, Jack died, and since he was a sinner on earth, the road to heaven was closed for him, and he had no choice but to visit his old friend the Devil. But the Devil, mindful of his promise, refused to let the farmer into hell, but gave him smoldering coals from a hellish fire so that Jack could light his way. To make the Devil's gift last longer, Jack cut a turnip lantern and put coals in it. Since then, Jack's lantern has been a symbol of a restless soul that wanders in the dark, illuminating its path with embers. When Halloween began to be celebrated in America, the turnip was replaced with a bright pumpkin, which quickly gained universal recognition and became the main symbol of the holiday.
Naturally, no one will put a pumpkin on the table just like that, a huge red vegetable is a dubious decoration. Therefore, from year to year, many people cut out a wide variety of faces from a pumpkin, clean out the pulp and put candles inside, in general, they try in every possible way to create a semblance of Jack's lantern. Since the Halloween pumpkin is the main symbol of the holiday, we will tell you how to make a Halloween pumpkin and share some cute Halloween pumpkin options. Sometimes, in order to create something of your own, original and unlike anything else, you need to see a few other people's ideas for inspiration, so check out our selection and get inspired!
1. Pumpkin in a pumpkin
As a rule, a Halloween pumpkin is a very evil creature. Try to create a pumpkin monster that devours another horror movie. Halloween after all, you know, competition among pumpkins. You will need a huge pumpkin and a very small pumpkin, if you cannot find pumpkins of the right size, then you can take one of any size and one orange. Come up with a scarier facial expression and cut it out. When you cut out the mouth, it is better to start with a narrower part and do not immediately try to make a large hole for a small pumpkin or orange right away, it is better to make it narrower and then cut it, because if the mouth turns out to be too large, you will have to look for a bigger “victim”.
2. Famous character.
Agree, everyone can cut out 2 triangular eyes, a nose and a terrible crooked mouth, but this happens from year to year and everyone is tired of it. Therefore, we suggest that you review all the horror films available in the house and choose a couple of the most charming characters, for example, Frankenstein or Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas cartoon. At first glance, it seems that only a professional with ten years of experience can cut such a miracle, but this is not at all the case. Arm yourself with a felt-tip pen, preferably one that is water-based so that it can be easily erased, take a pumpkin and draw your favorite face on it. Keep in mind that you will have to cut with an ordinary sharp knife, so try to avoid too small details.
3. Bats
Bats are another symbol of Halloween. These wonderful fluffy lumps with thin leathery wings have inspired fear and horror in many people since ancient times, which means that it is quite possible to scare guests with these cute creatures. And to avoid theatrical fainting, carve mice in a pumpkin. Moreover, you can arrange the bats in any order, or you can try and cut out the eyes, nose and mouth in the shape of mice. At the same time, depending on the position of the wings, you can change the facial expression, make it cheerful, sad or angry. To cut out the small details of mice, use a small, thin, sharp knife or a regular utility knife.
4. A real lantern
Have you noticed that everyone cuts out faces all the time and calls them Jack-o'-lanterns? Why just faces? The lantern must be a lantern. Antique or modern, garden or camping, but a lantern. Are you of the same opinion? Then arm yourself with a thin knife and a black marker or black acrylic paint and a brush with artificial bristles. Choose an image of any lantern you like, draw it on the pumpkin and cut out the part through which the light should be visible. Place a candle inside, only you first need to clean the pulp from the pumpkin, and your Halloween pumpkin will take on an original look.
5. Snowman Jack
Although Halloween is considered a time of rampant evil spirits, not everything about it has to be scary. As you know, there is a place for kindness and light always and everywhere. Yes, and there is not much time left before winter, so let's remember the snowmen. Snowman Jack, meeting invited friends right at the front door, will make a splash. Prepare a hat, an old shirt collar, a few large buttons, glue, felt-tip pens, and a wine bottle cork. Use glue to glue the collar and buttons, cut out the eyes and mouth, and glue a wine cork as a nose. Draw pupils, eyebrows and ears with felt-tip pens. Such a fat good man will be a wonderful decoration for your home for Halloween.
6. Lace gourd
Since we have moved away from the theme of pumpkin lanterns, why not digress also from the theme of the ugly, and try to do something from the category of beauty. For example, master the technique of painting. A painted pumpkin for Halloween is, of course, original and beautiful, and you can also say with absolute certainty that you will not find another such pumpkin anywhere. And also it is a great gift for guests to complete the celebration! In order to make such beauty, you do not need to have a red diploma from the Academy of Artistic Creativity, just one brush, acrylic paint, several glass contours and a pair of toothpicks are enough. Cover the pumpkin with an even layer of acrylic paint, let dry so that your handprints do not remain on the paint. After the paint has dried, there are several options for continuing the decoration: you can immediately pick up the outline and use it to draw leaves, mysterious patterns and dots, or you can first take a toothpick and draw some unusual pattern on the pumpkin, and then decorate it with a contour. In general, do not limit your imagination and wake up the artist in you!
7 Functional Pumpkin
As they say, why waste goodness, let's try to make a pumpkin not only beautiful, but also functional. There are many examples, here are just a few. If you are having a real holiday and inviting guests, then a Halloween pumpkin can turn into a great refrigerator for you. Chilled drinks are always welcome, so cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the core, and fill it with crushed ice. Put bottles of beer, lemonade or juice on ice and serve. Such a spectacular dish will surely be remembered by your guests and will be used throughout the holiday.
Let's not waste time on trifles, because we are talking about a holiday. On your holiday table, a pumpkin can become completely indispensable if you use it instead of dishes, for example, under salad or punch. Such a hamburger pumpkin will look original. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the core, put a large chop instead of the usual cutlet, garnish with cheese, lettuce and tomato slices, and instead of sesame seeds, glue the seeds that you peeled from the core to the pumpkin. To make pumpkin punch, you will need 1 liter of apple juice, 350 ml of pineapple juice, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 large apple, a few cloves and 1 large pumpkin. Use a small round spoon to make a few balls out of the apple, stick a clove into each ball. Pour apple, lemon and pineapple juice into a saucepan, add cinnamon and cut apple balls. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes without bringing to a boil, then cool slightly. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and carefully clean the middle, removing all the seeds. Pour the slightly cooled punch into a pumpkin and serve.
A Halloween pumpkin on its own can be a great source of inspiration, but combined with the Halloween pumpkin tips and ideas presented here, it will surely lead your imagination to create something original and unforgettable!
The demon became a coin, and instead of paying for ale, Jack the cunning put it in his pocket with a silver cross. The cursed spirit was trapped and, in order to take on its former appearance, agreed to the farmer's conditions: not to touch Jack for several years and not to take his soul to hell.
Well, what about the pumpkin for Halloween, and what does this have to do with everything? The most direct! Read on!
So, a few years later, the farmer died, but the gates of heaven were closed to him, because during his lifetime he was a sinner. The devil, however, remembered this promise not to let him into hell, but, taking pity on Jack, he presented several smoldering embers of hell to light the path of a restless soul.
So that the coals would not go out and burn for as long as possible, Jack carved a lantern from a pumpkin and placed a smoldering gift in it. Since then, the lantern of the sinful farmer has symbolized the wandering soul, which has no place in either heaven or hell.
By the way, the holiday was originally celebrated by the Irish, who carved lanterns from turnips. Pumpkin began to be used on Halloween by the Americans, who liked the holiday of wandering souls, and it was in America that this vegetable became the main attribute of the holiday.
Naturally, a whole pumpkin looks a little like decoration, there is nothing festive in it. Therefore, every year, a few days before the holiday, most people carve lanterns from a pumpkin, clean it from the pulp and put candles inside. In general, as they can, they create a semblance of a farm lantern.
By the way, the day of celebration, October 31, is not accidental. It is believed that on this day the doors of the other worlds open, through which various entities and souls of deceased loved ones enter our world. That is why it is customary for the holiday to dress up in frightening costumes and prepare “terrible” treats for souls in order to appease them a little.
What you need:
- pumpkin
- felt-tip pen
- the spoon
- candle-tablet
If the pumpkin is large, then you will need several knives with different blade lengths.
What do you need for a jack o'lantern
How to carve a pumpkin for Halloween: carving skills to help us!
I envy those who have the virtuosity and skill of carving and create complex plots from vegetables. But we, too, are not born with a bast, and we can already cut a lantern.
We draw any face on the pumpkin with a felt-tip pen (I didn’t want to draw an evil one), do not forget to mark the lid of the lantern, which can be square, round or polygonal, like mine.
draw a face First, cut out the lid, clean the inside of the vegetable with a spoon. It is necessary to remove the seeds and scrape off more pulp so that the walls of the lantern become a little thinner, in addition to the spoon, I also used a knife. Then, with a knife, carefully and slowly cut out the muzzle. Movements should be reciprocating, unhurried, so as not to accidentally get hurt.
cut out neatly When the flashlight is ready, put a candle inside, light it, turn off the light and admire what kind of muzzle you cut out and the more different lantern faces, the more interesting the holiday.
light Jack's lantern As it turned out, a Halloween pumpkin can be a wonderful and original decoration, if there were ideas. I decided to pick up a video with pumpkin lanterns, maybe something will push your imagination to create your unforgettable masterpiece.
Halloween is coming soon (October 31st). So far, this holiday is not very popular in Russia and the CIS countries, but everyone probably knows about its symbol - a pumpkin lantern. It can be made with your own hands, and even a child under the supervision of adults can do it.
How to make a pumpkin lantern
To begin with, we need - of course - a pumpkin, but not any, but ripe, without spots, scratches and other damage. Do not lift the pumpkin by the stalk - this way you can drop and mash the vegetable. To make it easier to clean the pumpkin, lay newspapers under it.
Carefully cut off the top of the pumpkin with the stalk to form a round cut. For this purpose, special plastic gourd carving knives can be used, which are safer.
Then, using a long-handled ladle, scoop out all the seeds and insides of the pumpkin. So that the vegetable does not fall on its side, and it is easier to rake out the seeds, also cut out the middle. By the way: the larger the pumpkin, the more convenient it is to clean it.
Now find a place on the pumpkin where you will cut out the face. Draw the facial features (eye sockets and grin) on a piece of paper. No need to make complex drawings, then it will be difficult to cut. Attach the outline of the "face" to the pumpkin and translate the lines with a sharp pin or nail.
Now it remains only to carefully walk the knife along the "dashed lines" of the pumpkin and remove the cut out areas. The lantern is ready!
Put it in a conspicuous place, do not forget to put a few burning candles inside, turn off the lights and admire your work. Such a pumpkin can greatly surprise, or even scare the guests, the main thing is not to be scared yourself. That's all!
And so that you can make a variety of “facial expressions” for your lanterns, we suggest you look at the photo for a wide variety of pumpkin lantern ideas for Halloween.