Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

10/03/2017

History

Did you know that carving jack-o’-lanterns has been a popular for at least over 700 years? Back then the purpose was actually to use it as a light source by the Maori people in New Zealand.

The popular use of the jack-o’-lanterns at Halloween in America is reported to have started around the mid-1800’s. Poet John Greenleaf Whittier, of Massachusetts,  wrote the poem “The Pumpkin” in 1850: 

“Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling,
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!”

(Jack-o’-lantern. Wikipedia.)

Decorating Options

Pumpkins bring the joy of the fall season to kids and adults alike. Families flock to farms to pick out the perfect pumpkins, to take home to carve or decorate. Spooky, funny, whimsical, and time-consuming works of art– these are some of the ways people decorate. Carving kits are convenient for creating a pumpkin masterpiece.

For those who don’t want to use sharp tools, or to scoop out the insides and bake the seeds, other kits are out there that take pumpkin decorating to a whole new level. Decoupage and paint & stencil kits can be used to create unique designs.

There are also fun face transfers that can used on pumpkins, as well as on windows, doors, or to create costumes. A fun toy-like kit of Pumpkin Parts has 22 pieces, similar to Mr. Potato Head. The pieces can be mixed and matched to make fun faces with no carving required. Then you can store them with your other Halloween decor to save and reuse again next year.

Flower Pot in a Pumpkin?

Ever plant a pumpkin? Just carve the top off, clean out the inside, and insert a pot of fall flowers, like pansies or mums. 

Some people like to get some friends and family together and have a pumpkin decorating party. It’s a great way to have fun being creative together while making memories. Add some fresh, local apple cider and some homemade pumpkin roll, and have fun celebrating fall!

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