Cutting at an angle prevents the lid from falling inside of your pumpkin. Make sure your hand can easily fit inside the hole so you’re able to scoop out the seeds. 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. [3] X Research source
Save and cook the pumpkin seeds for a tasty fall snack.
Mark the sections you want to cut out with an X so you don’t accidentally carve out the wrong piece. You could draw a spooky face with sharp teeth, the silhouette of a cat, or a scary ghost.
A pumpkin carving kit usually comes with a sharp tool you can use to poke holes. Sprinkle a little baby powder onto your pumpkin and rub it into the holes so they’re easier to see.
Always cut away from your body so you don’t hurt yourself if your knife slips. If you’re working on a small or intricate design, switch to a paring knife instead. You can throw away the pieces of pumpkin you cut out or feature them in your design. You could attach them with toothpicks to make ears or horns. If you’re carving names or letters that have cutouts like an “O” or “A,” cut the piece out and reattach it to the pumpkin with a toothpick.
Use cookie cutters with spooky shapes, like ghosts, bats, or moons.
You could also use a drill to easily cut out eyes if you’re carving a face in your pumpkin.
Petroleum jelly makes a thin protective layer that keeps mold and bacteria out.
Candles will stay lit better if you cut or drill a small vent hole at the top of the pumpkin.
A flickering LED light looks just like a candle without a real flame.
If you’re using tealights, avoid putting your pumpkin near anything flammable. Put your pumpkin in a garbage bag in the fridge if temperatures dip below freezing or go above 70 °F (21 °C) to slow down rot.
If you don’t dry your pumpkin, it may develop mold faster.
