By Rebekah Green

Pumpkin carving may be a long tradition started in childhood for some, while to others it may be completely new. Either way, pumpkin carving is a simple and fun way to put your creativity on display for the Halloween season.

The practice of pumpkin carving is a tradition that spans the length of centuries, though it’s association with Halloween is a little more recent. People used to carve and light objects like gourds in order to welcome the spirits of loved ones, while also using the lit creations to keep out unfriendly spirits. This once specific activity has expanded to many places and fallen under quite different intentions nowadays. Needless to say, pumpkin carving may just be the one Halloween pastime that can be enjoyed at any age, in any way.

It can also be a complicated process, depending on the complexity of the design you attempt to carve. As with most art projects, the possible ideas and designs are endless, so the basics are a good place to start. The tools used to carve pumpkins can consist of everyday kitchenware and tools found in the garage. Large knives are helpful to remove the pumpkin stem and large spoons will make removing the pumpkin’s innards easy and quick. Pencils and markers can be used to layout your design before you start to carve. Check out Google for sites that have downloadable stencils to get you started. As for the design details, it all depends mostly on what you want for the pumpkin.

Here are some tips to begin the basic pumpkin carving process:

1. Cut around the stem of the pumpkin, carving in a slanted position to keep the lid from falling in.

2. Next, scoop out the pumpkin’s insides (to make it extra clean, use the scooping spoon to remove any extra pumpkin seeds and scraps off the inside walls).

3. After figuring out the side you want to place the design on, sketch out the design with a pencil or pen. Carve out the shapes with a knife, then push the pieces out.

4. When lighting your pumpkin, use a candleholder, place it carefully inside, and watch your jack-o’-lantern glow!

For more information on the carving process, check http://www.pumpkincarving101.com. Creative stencils can be found at sites like DLTK’s Crafts for Kids (http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/mpatterns.htm).

Now that you have the basic steps down, the rest is up to individual creativity. Remember that pumpkins will not last forever and will dehydrate and rot, so take pictures right away to document your creations. If you intend on extending your pumpkin’s preservation there are many methods to keep it from rotting. The Pumpkin-Fresh spray-on preserver is one cheap option for postponing the inevitable a little longer (http://www.pumpkinfresh.com/.)