Carving the Pumpkin
1. Choose a pumpkin for your jack-o'-lantern. It can be big, little, fat, skinny, round, or bumpy. Each pumpkin will have its own special personality when it becomes a jack-o'-lantern. Don't pick the first pumpkin that comes along. Picture what you want your pumpkin to look like and how you're planning to use it, then pick a pumpkin according to what you want to carve on it. No matter what pumpkin you choose, make sure it's free of scratches, dents, and gouges for a longer lifespan.
2. Begin by making a lid for the pumpkin. With the help of an adult, cut out a star shape around the stem, making zigzag lines. Slant your knife in toward the center of the pumpkin. This will keep the lid from falling inside after it is cut.
3. Clean out the pumpkin until it is hollow. Save the seeds to use later on for a Halloween snack (see recipe below).
4. Draw a face on your pumpkin with a pencil. Make eyes, a nose, and a mouth. You can also add eyebrows and uneven teeth. Decide if you want a happy face, a mean face, a spooky face, or even a silly face. Again, with the help of an adult, carve out the face with a knife.). =)
5. Set a candle inside the pumpkin to make it glow. With an adult's help, you can make a safe candle holder with a small, tin can like the sort tuna comes in. Drip melted wax from your candle to the bottom of the can. Then stand up the candle in the wax. When the candle is lit, your pumpkin face will glow.)
...Finally, put on the pumpkin's lid.
Your jack-0'-lantern is ready to shine for every ghost, goblin, witch, and monster on Halloween night
