Carving jack-o’-lanterns is one of the oldest and most loved American Halloween traditions. It’s also the reason your kitchen floor will be covered in pumpkin goo this week. Whether you’re carving your first pumpkin or trying to make this year’s design the best on the street, this guide covers everything from choosing a pumpkin to making it last until Saturday, October 31.
A quick history
The jack-o’-lantern tradition comes from Ireland and Scotland, where people carved faces into turnips and other root vegetables. When Irish immigrants came to the United States, they found pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve. Today, the pumpkin is a symbol of the whole season.
Step 1: Choose the right pumpkin
Look for:
- A flat bottom, so it sits without rolling
- A sturdy green stem, a sign it’s fresh
- Firm skin with no soft spots, cuts or mold
- Smooth, even sides for the face you’ll carve
- A good shape for your design: tall pumpkins for faces, round ones for patterns
Pick it up and tap it. A fresh pumpkin feels heavy for its size and sounds a little hollow. Don’t carry it by the stem; it can snap off.
Where to buy
Supermarkets, garden centers and farmers markets all sell carving pumpkins. Pumpkin patches make it an outing, often with hayrides and corn mazes. Prices are usually lowest at large stores and highest at patches.
Step 2: Gather your tools
| Tool | Why |
|---|---|
| Serrated knife or carving saw | Cutting the lid and large shapes |
| Small carving tools | Details; kits are inexpensive at most stores |
| Large spoon or scraper | Scooping out seeds and pulp |
| Dry-erase marker or pencil | Drawing your design |
| Pins or a pushpin | Transferring stencils |
| Bowl and newspaper | Seeds and mess |
| Battery tea lights | Lighting your pumpkin safely |
Kitchen knives are sharp and can slip on curved pumpkin skin. Carving kit saws are designed to cut in small, controlled strokes and are safer.
Step 3: Cut the opening
Most people cut a lid around the stem, but there’s a better way: cut from the back or the bottom.
- From the back: makes a hidden opening and keeps the top strong
- From the bottom: lets you set the pumpkin over a candle or light; it also helps the pumpkin last longer because the stem stays connected
Angle your knife toward the center as you cut, so the lid doesn’t fall in.
Step 4: Scoop it out
Scrape out all the seeds and stringy pulp. Then thin the wall where you’ll carve to about one inch thick. Thinner walls are easier to cut and let more light through. Save the seeds for roasting.
Step 5: Draw or transfer your design
- Freehand: draw on the pumpkin with a dry-erase marker so you can wipe away mistakes
- Stencils: tape a printed stencil to the pumpkin and poke small holes along the lines with a pin, then connect the dots
Step 6: Carve
- Start with the center and smallest details first, then the larger shapes
- Hold the saw straight and use short up-and-down strokes
- Push the cut pieces out from the inside
- Keep your other hand away from the blade’s path
Safety: Adults should handle the knives. Kids can draw the design, scoop the inside and place the light.
Easy pumpkin carving ideas
For beginners
- Classic jack-o’-lantern: triangle eyes and nose, a toothy grin
- Surprised face: round eyes and a round “O” mouth
- Cat silhouette on a fence or moon
- Bat or ghost shape
- Spooky eyes only, for a simple, creepy look
Something different
- Polka dots: use a drill with different bit sizes for clean holes
- Pumpkin eating a pumpkin: carve a big mouth and put a small pumpkin inside
- Puking pumpkin: a classic for laughs, with seeds and pulp pouring from the mouth
- Shaved designs: scrape away only the outer skin instead of cutting all the way through, so light glows softly
- Word pumpkins: carve “BOO” or your house number
Trending pop culture designs
Characters on Google’s 2026 trending list, like Minecraft creepers, Buddy the Unicorn or Scooby-Doo, make great stencil designs. Search for free printable stencils of your favorite character.
No-carve pumpkin ideas (great for kids)
- Paint pumpkins with acrylic paint, chalk paint or paint pens
- Glitter pumpkins: brush on glue and sprinkle glitter
- Sticker and washi tape pumpkins
- Mr. or Mrs. Potato Head pumpkins with push-in face pieces
- Monster pumpkins with googly eyes, pipe cleaners and felt
- Drawn faces with a black permanent marker
No-carve pumpkins also last much longer, often weeks or even into November for Thanksgiving decorations.
How to make a carved pumpkin last longer
Once cut, a pumpkin starts to dry out and rot. In warm weather it may only last a few days; in cool weather, around a week or more.
| Tip | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Carve 3–5 days before Halloween | Less time to rot |
| Wipe cut edges with a little petroleum jelly or vegetable oil | Seals moisture in |
| Spray inside with a diluted bleach solution (about 1 teaspoon of bleach per quart of water), then let dry | Slows mold. Keep away from kids and pets; don’t use on pumpkins you’ll eat |
| Keep it in the shade | Sun and heat speed up rotting |
| Bring it inside or refrigerate overnight | Cold slows decay |
| Revive a shriveled pumpkin by soaking it in cold water for a few hours | Rehydrates it |
Safety tips
- Use battery lights or LED candles. The National Fire Protection Association advises using flashlights or battery candles in jack-o’-lanterns instead of real candles
- If you do use a real candle, keep the pumpkin away from doorways, walkways, curtains and anything that can catch fire, and never leave it unattended
- Keep pumpkins out of the path of trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may be flammable
- Clean up seeds and goo from the floor to prevent slips
What to do with the seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds:
- Rinse seeds and remove the pulp
- Dry them well on a towel
- Toss with a little oil and salt
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast at about 325°F (163°C) for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until golden
- Try flavors like cinnamon sugar, garlic powder, chili lime or everything bagel seasoning
After Halloween
- Compost pumpkins if you can; many cities hold pumpkin composting drop-offs in early November
- Leave them for wildlife only if they’re unpainted and untreated, away from roads, and if local rules allow it
- Don’t eat carved pumpkins that have sat outside or been treated with bleach or sealant
- Cook with fresh sugar pumpkins, a smaller variety bred for eating, not carving pumpkins
Host a pumpkin carving night
Carving with friends or family is one of the easiest Halloween gatherings to host:
- Cover tables with newspaper or plastic tablecloths
- Provide one pumpkin per person or pair
- Put out printed stencils and carving kits
- Serve warm cider and snacks
- Give small prizes for scariest, funniest and most creative
- Line the finished pumpkins up outside and turn on the lights for a photo
Pumpkin carving for different ages
| Age | What they can do |
|---|---|
| 2–4 | Paint, add stickers, scoop seeds with their hands |
| 5–8 | Draw the design, scoop with a spoon, push out cut pieces |
| 9–12 | Use kid-safe carving kit tools with close adult supervision |
| Teens | Carve with kit saws on their own after a safety talk |
Final thoughts
You don’t need artistic skill for a great jack-o’-lantern, just a sturdy pumpkin, a safe saw and a simple design. Carve a few days before Halloween, keep it cool, light it with a battery candle, and enjoy the glow on Saturday night.
