This (was) Halloween

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. Literally everything about Halloween makes me happy: making/wearing costumes, pumpkin carving, eating candy, decorating things. I’ll share with you some of my favorite things from this Halloween:

Above you can see pumpkins other graduate students and I carved at a gathering with the director of graduate studies. My pumpkin is the one in the back with the sinister smile. The thing about carving pumpkins is that there really is no wrong way to carve a pumpkin (sort of*)

So in case you’ve never carved a pumpkin, here is the quick and dirty of it:

1. procure pumpkin
2. assuming that you are an adult get a knife (for some reason the really cheap ones that come in pumpkin carving kits work best)
3. Cut off the top of the pumpkin (around the stem part) – do it at kind of an angle so the top doesn’t just fall in.
4. Here’s the dirty part: dig out the guts of the pumpkin. In there are seeds and all the nasty fleshy parts. If you are into touching such strange and scary textures reach up in there and make it happen. If you’re like me and abhor the idea of reaching into an orange squishy cavern, use a big spoon! Now, some things you should know about this step:
   1. DO NOT EVER EAT THE INSIDE OF THE PUMPKIN. A carving pumpkin does not a pie pumpkin make. If you eat it or try to make a pie out of it you will be very sad. You can, however, roast the seeds in the oven if you’re about that life.
   2. The second part of this step is the most important. Do your best to scoop out all of the guts. Get that spoon up in there and take out as much of the stringy parts as possible. Failure to do so could result in a fire once you put the candle in. Unless you want to see the burning flames of [insert scary place], dig out the goop. Only you can help prevent pumpkin related house fires! 
5. Get out your little knife and let your creativity take hold. There is literally no way to mess this up. Make a face, make an animal, make shapes. If you’re terrified of this step or suffer from perfectionism, there are stencils sold at most drugstores and craft stores that can soothe your nerves.
6. Once you’re done with your ghoulish gourd, throw a tea-light candle in there and show the neighborhood what you’re working with!

Check out This (was) Halloween Part 2 for more Halloween fun!