A step-by-step guide to carving a jack-o'-lantern

Carving your own jack-o'-lantern is a great way to celebrate autumn and give your house a festive look for Halloween. Here is a step-by-step guide to do it the right way.

• Try to purchase a large and rounded pumpkin, as these are easier to carve than smaller pumpkins or pumpkins with irregular shapes.
• Avoid pumpkins with any mould or blemishes.

• Use a serrated knife to carve off the top of the pumpkin, making it large enough to later place a candle inside.
• Don't cut directly downwards, but instead cut from a 45 degree angle with your knife. This will create an edge that ensures the top of the pumpkin doesn't later fall through.
• Scoop out the inside of the pumpkin and discard the contents or save the seeds to bake later for a healthy snack.

• Beginners should stick to a simple design, but more with more experience, you can get more complicated and creative with your jack-o'-lantern projects.
• One design method is to print or draw a template on paper, attach it to the pumpkin and then cut out the parts you plan to carve with a razor or nail.
• You can also directly draw your design on to the pumpkin with a marker, and cut out each part from there.
• It's also easier to cut straight lines than other patterns such as circles, so keep that in mind when making your design.

• Use a serrated knife to saw through each part of the pumpkin you want to cut out.
• After you're done, you can put some petroleum jelly or lemon juice around all the parts that you cut to help preserve the pumpkin.

• You can place a candle or tea light inside your jack-o'-lantern, but it's a good idea to first place your candle in a glass holder.
• Make sure to leave the lid a bit off or you may have a fire hazard or cut a small hole in the back of the pumpkin to serve as a chimney.
• For safety reasons, you might want to put an electric candle inside your jack-o'-lantern instead.

With these tips in mind, you can get creative and have fun carving a pumpkin with the whole family this Halloween.