by Cheryl Kottke

Created on: September 21, 2009

If this is your first Halloween pumpkin, you will find it is something you will always enjoy. The fun begins with picking out just the right pumpkin. This time of year, you will see them for sell on just about every street corner. The most exciting way to get your pumpkin is to visit a local orchard or farm and pick one of your own. Some of the local farms where I live are listed in

Annual Appleumpkin Festival in Tecumseh, MI. The Annual Appleumpkin Festival has a Make-it-Take-it Scarecrow booth, which you can take home and put in your yard with your carved pumpkin. In addition, Where to Pick Apples in Eastern Michigan lists local orchards where you can also pick your own pumpkins while you enjoy hayrides, fresh cider, and pick some apples to eat while carving your pumpkin.

First, gather everything you need:

Old newspapers

Drawing or template of the face you want to carve out

Knife for cutting

Large spoon

Paper and packaging tape

Toothpick or poker

Candle

Of course, a pumpkin

Cover the table with newspapers and set your pumpkin so that the side you want to cut your scary face on is facing you. About 3 inches from the stem cut around the stem in a complete circle. Tug on the stem to remove the top and set it aside, you will use it.

Reach in and start pulling the inside out, all of the gooey seeds and strings. Get as much of it out as you can. You might need to use the large spoon to scrape the inside. Save the seeds to roast and eat later or give to the birds. You can also save them to maybe plant next year and grow your own pumpkin. After the entire inside is out it's time to draw your face on the front. Using a template you drew yourself, bought at the store, or found on the internet, tape it to the front of the pumpkin using the packaging tape.

Using a toothpick or if you have purchased a kit, the poker, punch holes approximately 1/8th of an inch apart around the parts that need to be cut out. Remove the template and using it as a reference cut out your face using the holes like doing dot-to-dot. Remove the cutouts, place your candle inside in the center, and replace the stem on top.

Learn more about this author, Cheryl Kottke.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.