Pumpkin Carving Safety

My kids see the giant wooden crates overflowing with pumpkins outside the grocery and beg for just one more pumpkin. If I would give in each time we see them, we would have a yard full of pumpkins. With over a week to go before Halloween, it's a bit too early to carve your favorite pumpkin. According to my kids it's never too early to find the right pumpkin. Of course the best pumpkins are basking in the sun at the pumpkin patch. I love that pumpkin hunting ritual when I have enough time. Thank goodness you can find some wonderful pumpkins waiting for a good home at local stores too. I love finding the biggest pumpkins, but from experience I've learned that getting one that is easy to hold and has a sturdy stem makes the carving project simpler.

I am pretty crafty, just not with a big knife and a pumpkin. That's why I love the new pumpkin carving kits to carving relatively easy even for me. The tools provided should require less force to pierce the pumpkin. Always make sure the tools are clean and dry to prevent slipping in your hands. Keeping the surface you are working on clean and dry will also prevent the pumpkin from slipping while carving and causing an injury.

As a kid we used a large kitchen knife--or even my dad's power tools--to carve. However, a big knife is not the best carving tool because the thick blade can get stuck in the pumpkin. Plus the long blade could also come out the other side of the pumpkin right where you are holding the pumpkin.

The new poker tools in pumpkin carving kits add an extra step that is worth the time. Just trace the outline of the cuts you want to make on the pumpkin with a pen, then use the poker tool to make a series of small holes. This step makes it easier to cut out the triangle eyes and zig-zig mouth with a knife.

Sccoping out the goop in the middle of the pumpkin should only require a large kitchen spoon. If you select a spoon with a handle that's too long, you will have problems scraping the sides of the pumpkin. Just make sure the handle will not bend under all the pressure. I think even a melon ball scooper or an ice cream scoop works great.

One tip for carving the lid of the pumpkin. Remember to carve at an angle so the lid doesn't just fall down into the pumpkin. 

What's the best part of the project? There are no rules for pumpkin carving design. Just have fun.