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A carved pumpkin on a kitchen table, newspaper and cut-out pieces beside it
Sarr Cat · CC BY-SA 4.0

Carve pumpkins

Not a craft. An evening.

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What you need

  • A pumpkin each
  • Newspaper, more than you think
  • A serrated knife and a spoon
  • A marker
  • Tealights

The trick

Scoop more than feels necessary

Thin the wall to about two centimetres and the light actually comes through. Most disappointing pumpkins are simply too thick.

Try this

  • Draw the face on in marker first — it is much easier to redraw than to un-cut.
  • Cut the lid at an angle so it does not drop in when it shrinks.
  • Save the seeds. They go in the oven while you finish.
  • An evening, really
  • Considerable mess
  • Better with an adult
  • Small hands welcome