STOP! You’re not carving your pumpkins correctly!

Ah, October. That time of year when the leaves change color, the air gets a bit cooler, and the pumpkin spiced invasion saturates our nostrils and taste buds at every turn.

As a child I remember fondly going to the pumpkin patch and swiping right picking out just the right one. Not too big, not too small, hopefully with no warts or strange lumps (much like today’s dating process for most people too!).

While visiting my sister and nephews in Denver, we decided to go to a pumpkin patch and corn maze just a few miles from her home. Ben had never been to either before, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to pick up a little bit of the Americana that I grew up with and enjoyed for so many years.

jon-ben-pumpkin

Perfect pumpkins in hand, we drove back to the house to start carving them and get them ready for display. As my sister got the kid-friendly carving knives ready, I turned the pumpkin upside down and started carving out the bottom.

pumpkin-carving

“What the heck are you doing?â€
“I’m carving out the guts of the pumpkin, what does it look like I’m doing?â€
“You’re supposed to cut off the top, not the bottom!â€
“Says who?â€
“Well, common knowledge and… ya know… everyone!â€
“No, cutting the bottom is easier. Let gravity be your friend. It’ll be easier to remove the guts AND when you get your candle, all you have to do is place the pumpkin over the candle instead of removing the top and then you don’t run the risk of burning yourself when you put the candle in!â€

Think about it people… it makes perfect sense. Once you take a second to think about it, you’ll agree that it is absolutely the better way.

Pumpkin Carving the RIGHT way

Pumpkin Carving the RIGHT way

Ben was actually quite good at not only removing the guts but also free-styling his design. Here’s him hard at work…

Ben Freestyling his pumpkin

Ben Freestyling his pumpkin

And our finished product. I’ve got to say I kinda cheated however, since I used a stencil ☺

Finished Products!

Finished Products!

If you’re heading out to the pumpkin patch this weekend or next, when you get home, try carving your pumpkin the correct way this year.

Has anyone else ever carved their pumpkin this way, or was my sister right that conventional wisdom says to do it her way?

Author: Jon Nickel-D'Andrea

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2 Comments

  1. I have been doing it this way for years! Especially since I started using battery powered pumpkin lights. You don’t have to worry about cutting a vent in the top.

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    • SO glad I’m not the only one 🙂

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