Why Is A Carved Pumpkin Called A Jack Olantern

And shoppers start buying fresh decorative winter produce, such as pumpkins andturban squash, in the hot, sultry days of late summer. Fruit flies will also flock to carved pumpkins and speed up the rotting process. The first step in selecting the perfect gourd is to choose a carving pumpkin rather than a pie pumpkin. Carving pumpkins are larger with thinner skin and have less "guts" on the inside.

We think making Christmas crafts as a group is a great way to enhance holiday cheer. All of these projects are simple enough for any beginner crafter to try, which makes them fun for loved ones of all ages. Turn a set of stockings into an advent calendar with special treats as you count down to Christmas.

Use an up-and-down sawing or rocking motion to cut through the skin. Start by making rough cuts to remove large sections and go back to clean up the edges. Follow our pumpkin carving tips to look like a pro when carving your next Jack-o’-Lantern.

When immigrants brought this custom to North America, pumpkins eventually became the vegetable of choice. This Halloween front porches and window sills around the world will be adorned with glowing orange faces flickering in the ghostly moonlight. The tradition of carving pumpkins is one of the most instantly recognisable features of Halloween and has become a favourite pastime at this time of the year. Stingy Jack’s story inspired villagers in Ireland, England and Scotland, who lived near marshlands and observed the eerie lights, to begin making their own versions of his lanterns.

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. One option is to go online and find a design idea or stencil for your pumpkin. Pinterest is full of nearly endless ideas for designs, and there are plenty of other websites with great ideas, too. You can also buy a book of Jack O'Lantern stencils, or simply use tracing paper to trace a Crazy design out of one of your child's favorite books and tape it to your pumpkin.