How to Carve a Pumpkin

The jack-o'-lantern goes all the way back to the days of Jack the Irishman, who,
was punished for playing pranks on the Devil, He was sentenced to wander all
over the globe, carrying a lantern to light his way.

You can carve your own jack-o'-lantern , if you take a little care

Choose a good pumpkin.. Any pumpkin is good carving material, provided it's big
enough for your design, Make sure it is solid all over and has a nice flat bottom.

Start by cutting off the top. Carve a circle around the stem, angling
your knife or pumpkin-carving saw toward the center so the lid won't fall inward.
Scrape out the seeds and fibrous pulp.

Create your own design. It can be scary or not. You can draw your design directly on the pumpkin
or draw it on paper, tape the paper onto the pumpkin, and fold or snip the paper to conform to curves.
Transfer the pattern by poking perforations in the rind at 1/4-inch intervals with a tack, nail, or
official pumpkin poker. Almost all stores sell pumpkin carving kits and even design ideas for you to
copy. If you have trouble seeing the dots, connect them with a felt-tip pen.

Cut it out. With a sharp knife or a carving saw, cut along the dotted lines. First cut out small features
like eyes, then cut larger ones like the mouth.

Save face. If you wish, attach the cut-out eyes to the outside with toothpicks, making ears.

Preserve your work. When your jack-o'-lantern is done, rub all cut edges with petroleum jelly to slow drying.

Light it up. If you light your jack-o'-lantern with a candle, let the candle burn a few moments with the lid on,
then create a chimney by boring a hole into the blackened portion of the lid. You can also purchase battery
operated candles as a safer option. Remember never to leave a lighted pumpkin unattended.