How to Make the Scariest Jack-O'Lanterns on the Block for Your Trick or Treaters

It's getting close to October 31st or HALLOWEEN again. Now is the time to get organized to carve out or draw onto your pumpkins again! And what is more important than the selection of the RIGHT PUMPKIN than the selection of the RIGHT DESIGN FOR THE RIGHT PUMPKIN! One of my favorite Jack-O'Lanterns is in this picture with my dog Oskar.

How you can have the scariest Jack-O'Lanterns on the block for your trick or treaters:

Personally and firstly, you find a set of patterns that you would enjoy carving or coloring onto the pumpkins. There are quite a few websites out there for every type of style or personality you may want. The following sites have great tips and help on how and what to do for carving or drawing the perfect pattern onto or into your pumpkin. (A lot of it is free, but some of it has to be subscribed to or purchased.):

• Spookmaster pumpkin carving patterns
• Carvings and more
• Jack O'Lantern (the have free patterns, tools, tips)
• Extreme Pumpkins (kind of cool)
• Zombie Pumpkins (also kind of cool)
• Pumpkin Carving 101
• Carving Pumpkins (interesting patterns plus free & presidential patterns - click 2008 patterns)

The most extraordinary pumpkin pattern, which is perfect for the Star Wars fan, is described in this next website. Should you have the patience and time to carve this baby, this one is for you:

• Star Wars Pumpkins

Or, if you're not into pumpkins you can always create this unique and scary door greeter, which, by the way, is not easy to make:

• Origami Skeleton

No matter what you choose to make, take the design, pattern or overall theme you want to use to your local pumpkin patch or grocery store to match it with the shapes of the pumpkins available.
            

Finally, you need to decide if you are going to light your Jack-O'Lanterns or not. This all depends on the ages of your visitors and how close their costumes are going to get to your "tea-candle" lit pumpkins. There are electric candles and flashlights you can use to light the inside of your carved-out pumpkins to make them safe for any costume and child. But no matter what the age of the visitor, when using actual fire-lit candles, it's probably smartest to keep them out of the reach of any of your trick or treaters, since this is the holiday of mischief. No matter how well you know your visitors, you'll never know what stupid thoughts may suddenly pop into their heads. Therefore, accessible pumpkins should probably have the patterns drawn onto them or be lit with electric lighting, so there's no live "ammunition" for anyone to screw around with.
             

The 3 ways to succeed in making a scary Jack-O'Lantern, is to

1. hollow carve a pumpkin,
2. just skin the outer shell, or
3. draw the design onto the outer shell with a permanent black marker.

Each of the these are fantastic options to have fun with your family in creating the perfect Halloween setting and you'll find any of these techniques at any one of the listed websites.
            

Good luck in making it a spooky Halloween and let us know if you have any great scary ideas for us to share. DivaAnke