Pumpkin is the main symbol of Halloween (or All Saints' Day). Why exactly a pumpkin and why do they carve beastly faces on it?

The tradition of carving vegetable lanterns comes from Ireland and Great Britain and dates back to the times of the Celtic Druid monks, who used these sinister-looking lanterns to drive out demons and evil spirits.

Lanterns were usually carved from turnips, beets and rutabaga, and until the 19th century had nothing to do with All Saints' Day at all.

The custom of carving pumpkins for Halloween came from North America, where pumpkin was associated with the harvest season. The American jack-o-lantern was named the Jack-O-Lantern and became the official symbol of Halloween in 1866.

Who is the Jack-O-Lantern?

A pumpkin light flickering in the darkness symbolizes the souls of the dead wandering between heaven and hell.

Legend has it that once upon a time there lived a careless farmer, a drunkard and a thief, Jack. One day Jack was running away from angry peasants whom he had robbed. And then on the way he met the devil, who announced to Jack that the hour of his death had come. Sly Jack persuaded the devil to delay death in exchange for the opportunity to bewitch the righteous peasants who were chasing the thief. He suggested that the devil turn into a coin, with which Jack would pay for the stolen things, and when the devil/coin disappeared, the peasants would fight with each other, finding out who stole it. The devil agreed and, turning into a silver coin, jumped into Jack's pocket. But he was immediately deprived of his witchcraft power, as he found himself next to the cross that Jack had stolen in the village. Jack promised to let the devil go if he promised not to take his soul to hell.

When the time of death came, Jack could not go to heaven because of his sinful life, but he was not allowed into hell either, because they promised. It was dark around and Jack had nowhere to go. He asked for a lantern, and the devil mockingly threw him embers from hell. Jack carved a lantern out of a pumpkin, put coals in it and began to wander the earth in search of peace.

How to carve a Halloween pumpkin (Jack-O-Lantern)?

You will need:

A knife with a sharp and short blade. It is most convenient to make cuts with a small saw or a short knife with a serrated sharpening, a penknife, or a file knife. If possible, it is best to immediately purchase a special carving kit that includes everything necessary tools. Regular knives working with pumpkin is more difficult. A carving knife costs around 50 UAH, and the set shown in the picture below costs 300 UAH.

Template with a face

Awl (thick needle, ballpoint pen)

Scraper (spatula)

Cutting board

Candle. Do not use a candle that is too tall, otherwise the top wall of the pumpkin may burn. If there are small children in the house and you are afraid of experimenting with fire, a regular flashlight will do.

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Instructions

1. Pumpkin selection. Choose the most beautiful, most proportional, round and orange pumpkin. Choose only ripe fruits with a smooth and dense surface without damage or stains. It is desirable that the pumpkin be symmetrical. Pay attention to the tail (stem) of the pumpkin. It should be hard, dry and at least 5 cm long. Pumpkins that have begun to spoil discard the tail. If you plan to place a candle inside later, it is recommended to select a fruit more than 20 cm in height. Remember, we don’t care what pumpkin tastes like, we’re only interested in it appearance after cutting. Reminder: pumpkin, especially if it is not dried fresh air, begins to rot in 5-7 days, so it is best to prepare it 3-4 days before the holiday.

2. Wash, dry, apply a design. Wash and dry the selected pumpkin. If this is your first time carving a pumpkin, put the knife aside and grab a marker first. You will use it to draw lines along which you will then make cuts. Make sure that the marker is easily erased from the surface and does not leave marks.

3. Cleaning the pumpkin. The job of creating a Jack O'Lantern begins by cutting out the top of the pumpkin. You can also cut top part pumpkins, and the bottom one. This option is appropriate for those who do not plan to place a candle inside, but want to insert a jar with a candle or a flashlight.

We cut the lid along the contour using a knife, which must be held at an angle to form a cone-shaped cut: this way your lid (eventually) will not fall inside the “head”. To remove the lid, pull the stem and twist the lid if necessary. Trim off excess pulp and fibers from the lid if you use it.
Next we need to clean the inside of the pumpkin. It is very convenient to clean out the seeds and pulp directly with your hands. To do this, use a special spoon for pulp. In the absence of such a tool, you will have to work with an ordinary tablespoon. Remove all the insides from the pumpkin and scrape down the sides. If the pumpkin is large, then the top hole should be no smaller than your fist so that your hand can easily penetrate inside.

For optimal result The thickness of the walls on the side of the pumpkin where you will cut out the face should be 2-3 centimeters. There is no need to thoroughly scrape the sides, otherwise the thin peel will remain unsupported and fall through. The teeth on the knife leave small nicks. The edges of the cut need to be trimmed a little.

4. Applying a pattern to the pumpkin. Now you can move on to applying patterns to the sides of the pumpkin.

Draw a sketch on paper first, make sure this is exactly what you want. Keep in mind that straight lines are much easier to cut later than rounded ones. We attach the design to the smooth and beautiful side of the pumpkin with electrical tape and an awl ( ballpoint pen) outline the outline that is imprinted on the peel. Paint over the areas of the pumpkin that will be cut out to make them easier to see. This will make it easier for you to cut.

Pumpkin stencils
If you lack artistic skills, the option of using a stencil (template) is perfect for you. Several examples are presented below. By printing such templates on paper, you can make your work much easier and you don’t have to worry about the result.

5. Cut out the design. Place the tip of the knife on the outline and gently press it. Use a back and forth motion to cut the pumpkin. Take your time, try to follow the contour as closely as possible. If you need to make a sharp angle, remove the knife and insert it at a new angle.

6. Making lighting. After finishing the work, leave the pumpkin to dry.

If you lightly sprinkle the inside of the pumpkin with cinnamon, the aroma from such a special candle will fill the whole house with holiday in minutes.

Then the lighting can be installed. This could be a small candle, a garland or a lantern. You can place a candle (or several candles) inside the pumpkin. Place the candle in a glass cup and leave the top of the pumpkin open for ventilation. Another alternative could be a small flashlight.

Video tutorial "How to carve a pumpkin for Halloween"

It turned out that we were similar in many ways, which allowed us to become closer in the future. But we'll start with classic options handling the main symbol of Halloween, which is also called the head or Jack-o'-lantern.

According to legend, Jack was a heavy drinker and, as a result of his risky disputes with Satan, was forced to wander the world. He was not allowed into heaven and he did not fit in in hell. Therefore, he carries a jack-o-lantern with a smoldering coal with him. Since then, such a composition has become a symbol of a lighthouse helping lost souls to rest.

Every year on October 31, many parts of the world celebrate (sometimes on a grand scale) the wonderful Night of Floating Apples. Of course, such a celebration is more typical for countries like Mexico, but in Russia and the CIS countries the tradition of carving pumpkins at the end of October is gaining momentum. And that's great! Agree, there is nothing even remotely similar in our traditions.

Let's start from the very beginning classic way creating a holiday accessory - carving a pumpkin.

How to make a pumpkin for Halloween: detailed instructions with photos

Carving a pumpkin into a beautiful addition to Halloween is not that difficult. It is enough to prepare the following tools and materials:

• pumpkin,
• scotch,
• sharp knife,
• spoon (choose the size depending on the size of the pumpkin),
• scissors,
• something long and sharp (wooden skewer, awl or knitting needle),
• marker (food grade is best),
• stencil (if you can handle it, you can draw a face or a design on the pumpkin itself),
• one or more candles (you can use a small battery-powered lamp).

Work progress

1. First, cut off the lid of the pumpkin. To do this, draw an outline with a marker and cut out this element with a knife. You will have to put in a lot of effort, especially if the pumpkin is large. The juice released can be wiped off with a cloth. If you stuck the knife deep enough, you can remove the lid without any problems.
2. Cut the seeds from the top and remove them from the inside of the pumpkin. If the fruit is large, it will be much easier to do this by hand. Otherwise, use a spoon.
3. Don't forget to scoop out the pulp. To do this, make cuts inside the vegetable with a knife and remove the soft contents with a spoon. Cut off pieces of pulp from the lid, leaving a hard layer.
4. Now attach a pre-prepared template with the image you like (there will also be several photo options below). Glue it with tape so that the image does not slip.
5. Now the image needs to be transferred to the pumpkin. To do this, make small holes along the template with an awl along the entire contour.
6. After this, use a sharp knife to connect all the dots to each other, cutting out the pattern. The more complex the chosen composition, the more time it will take to complete this stage.

That's all. All that remains is to put candles or a small lamp inside. For greater safety, you can degrease the pumpkin with alcohol.

For anyone who wants to see all the actions in detail, I advise you to watch the video:

Stencils and templates for the pumpkin head

For pumpkin carving, you will need the following templates:

By the way, these ideas can also be used in makeup.

Other ways to process pumpkin

If you want to do something less traditional, then the following ideas will come in handy.

Scary and toothy pumpkin head

Ideal for small pumpkins. For this you will need a pumpkin, a small sharp knife, plastic vampire teeth and a couple of round-tipped pins. You need to cut a hole large enough for the plastic teeth to fit in. After this, they need to be placed in the opening and pin eyes should be inserted.

Cutting out pictures... with a drill

An alternative way to create patterns (if you prefer them rather than faces) can be brought to life by using a drill with drill bits different diameters. In this case, at the stage of creating the pattern, mark the places where the pattern should be located and drill holes.

Small pumpkin candles

Pumpkins are usually used as lamps. But why not make an original candle out of a small fruit? To do this, you will need to cut off the top (you can use a metal baking dish). After completing all the other steps, you will need to insert a wick inside the cleaned pumpkin and fill it with melted wax. Before the wax hardens, secure the wick in a vertical position.

Use wax that contrasts with the pumpkin to create a bright colors. The vegetable itself can be additionally decorated with rhinestones or painted.

Decorative pumpkins: for those who don't like to carve

To decorate your home for Halloween, you don't have to go through the hassle of cutting out and removing the pulp. You can leave the fruit whole. At the same time, it will be stored much longer.

Multi-colored pumpkins

This collection contains several options. Firstly, you can simply paint the vegetables as you wish (for example, with acrylic paints). You can also glue rhinestones or use markers.

Decorate with a garland

If you have some glue and a solid piece of garland with balls, you can glue it to the pumpkin. To do this, coat the vegetable with glue and attach the garland to it in layers.

Confetti

Grab some confetti or create your own using a hole punch and colorful paper. Coat the pumpkin with glue and sprinkle with the resulting circles. You can add an additional layer of glue on top to prevent the confetti from flying around.

Pumpkin unicorns

Of all the ideas presented, this is the most interesting and unusual (especially if you are creating a surprise for a girl). For it you will need a pumpkin, foamiran for the ears, acrylic paints (you can take a balloon), polymer clay, glue and wooden skewers.

Start by painting the pumpkin and cutting off the stem. After this, glue the ears pre-made from foamiran. Twist the horn and stick a skewer into it, bake the structure (if the clay is baked). After that, stick the structure into the “forehead” of the unicorn. Make a mane from several sausages of polymer clay and also attach it to the creature's head. Color the face.

Pumpkins in a variety of interpretations

You don't have to use only live vegetables for Halloween. You can use them in the most different options to decorate yourself and your room.

Drawing a pumpkin

Do you think it's difficult? In fact, it is enough to have watercolor paints and this simple master class on hand. Do you agree that everyone can draw such slices?

Halloween costume

You or your child can look like an adorable pumpkin. In the first presented option, you only need large number orange mesh, which can be assembled like a skirt, make a green border and sew on a scary face.

We did the same for the second variation.

But the next suit can easily be turned into a men's one. To do this, you just need to replace the pack with red or green pants.

More more options For festive costumes, see this article.

Pumpkin mask

To create this you will need colored cardboard, colored paper or paints and a thin rubber band. Cut out the mask using the template below. Cut out the remaining parts from colored paper or paint with paints. Make holes on the side and thread the rubber band through.

Paper pumpkins

To create such a paper pumpkin you will need a template (available in the master class), a thick decorative paper, glue gun and scissors. Here it will be enough to cut out the base, glue it along the top pieces and attach all the other elements.

Papier-mâché

Also paper, but the result is much more realistic. For such a pumpkin you will need a ball, threads, many strips of newspaper, primer and acrylic paints.

To begin, inflate the balloon (not very tightly), tie a tail and tie threads (preferably twine) to it so that the balloon can be divided into several sections. Tie the ends of the threads tightly at the opposite base. After this, start gluing the strips to the base (more on this). After applying all the layers and drying, prime the product and leave to dry, then paint.

Thread garland

There is nothing easier than making a garland of many pumpkins from threads. To do this, you only need a couple of colors of thread and a “fluffy” wire for the leg. Each fruit is a skein of thread, fastened with fluffy wire.

From cinnamon sticks and lid rings

Take 22 metal lid rings, twine and a few cinnamon sticks. Connect the rings like bagels on a bunch and place cinnamon sticks inside.

Fabric pumpkin

For it, take a fabric bag and stuff it tightly. Then fasten a knot of thread at one end and pull it out at the opposite end. Distribute the threads as in the papier-mâché master class. You can use a stick as a ponytail.

Pipes in progress

Piece corrugated pipe will easily turn into a festive fruit if you connect it together, paint it and make a stick-tail.

What about acorns?

Have you ever thought that acorns look like little pumpkins? If you paint them accordingly, you will get a bright resemblance to pumpkins.

Kawaii felt pumpkin for Halloween

And here is a guest post from Nastya. Anastasia is very creative and versatile developed person– needlewoman, layout designer, caring mother. And she brings a piece of herself to every direction, creating something new and magnificent. What wonderful toys she makes from wool and felt! How he optimizes websites (and at the same time creates designs)! I’m generally silent about the role of a young mother and the combination of all this.

So, I give the floor to Anastasia herself, who will tell us how to make a Halloween pumpkin with your own hands from felt - a wonderful cute souvenir for family and friends on the Night of Floating Apples ^^ After all, who said that a pumpkin must be hard?

My name is Kalashnikova Anastasia, and I present to you today this small master class. Halloween is very soon, so I suggest sewing its symbol from felt - a cute pumpkin. The toy consists of simple parts, so it is perfect for creativity with children.

You will need:

• Orange, white and black felt;
• Orange and white floss;
• Needle;
• Scissors;
• A little padding polyester;
• Black beads for eyes;
• Ribbon or magnet optional

You can download the pattern HERE, this is what it looks like:

The process of creating a pumpkin

First of all, cut out all the felt necessary details. According to the pattern given above, the toy will be about 5 * 5 centimeters.

Using a vanishing pencil or pencil, draw curved lines to represent the segments of the pumpkin. Embroider them with a back stitch, I used two strands of light orange floss.

The first line is ready

And with reverse side:

Now it's the peephole's turn. Place them according to the pattern, just above the center line of the pumpkin's body. Then sew with an overlock stitch or a needle-forward stitch.

Sew the stalk from the front part.

My favorite moment: choosing the expression on the toy’s face. Look how much changes when I just change the location of the bead eyes))

The muzzle is almost finished!)

You can embroider the mouth with black floss or cut it out of felt. My toys are intended for children, so I don't use glue when making them.

Well, the pumpkin face is ready. On the back of the toy I sew a pocket with a magnet, but you can replace it with ribbon if you wish.
Then sew both parts of the pumpkin together using your favorite stitch. Don't forget to leave a hole for stuffing.

Fill with a small amount of padding polyester to give the toy volume.

Sew up the hole and voila! The cute pumpkin is completely ready!

If you wish, you can sew the second half of the cutting on the back side:

Photo of pumpkin and her owl friend ^^

If you liked my little master class, you can get acquainted with the rest of the Halloween toys in the article “Crafts from felt for children on Halloween. Patterns and master classes."

Creative inspiration to you!

On my own behalf, I would like to add that I hope to meet Anastasia on my blog more than once. This concludes the post about Halloween pumpkins and we hope to see you here more than once.

Sincerely, Anastasia Skoracheva and Anastasia Kalashnikova

There is very little time left before Halloween, which means that the preparation of costumes and makeup, the search for “horrible” Halloween recipes and horror stories for home decoration are in full swing. As you know, a pumpkin for Halloween is considered mandatory attribute, because this is the main symbol of the holiday. Surely, it will be in every home of those who celebrate Halloween. Ever wondered why pumpkin? I'll open it terrible secret, originally it was a turnip, and not even in America, as many people think, but in Ireland! In general, the story of the Halloween pumpkin, or more precisely Jack-O-Lantern, is creepy to match the holiday, so before you cut out another scary face, it’s worth getting to know Jack better.

Once upon a time in Ireland there lived a very cunning and stingy farmer named Jack. One day, while drinking ale in a tavern, he met the Devil himself, they drank together, and when Jack had no money left to pay for another glass of booze, the Devil agreed to pay in exchange for the farmer’s soul. To do this, the Devil had to turn into a coin, and the cunning Jack, instead of paying, simply put this coin in his pocket, where there was a silver cross, which did not allow the Devil to take his original appearance. The Devil, caught in a trap, agreed to any conditions, so Jack bargained for himself several years of a quiet life and a promise to never take his soul to hell.

Some time later, Jack died, and since he was a sinner on earth, the road to heaven was closed to him, and he had no choice but to visit his old friend the Devil. But the Devil, remembering his promise, refused to let the farmer into hell, but gave him smoldering coals from the fire of hell so that Jack could light his way. To make the Devil's gift burn longer, Jack carved a lantern from a turnip and put coals in it. Since then, Jack's lantern has been a symbol of a restless soul that wanders in the dark, illuminating its path with smoldering embers. When Halloween began to be celebrated in America, the turnip was replaced with a bright pumpkin, which quickly gained universal recognition and became the main symbol of the holiday.

Naturally, no one will just put a pumpkin on the table; a huge red vegetable is a dubious decoration. Therefore, from year to year, many people cut out a wide variety of faces from pumpkins, clean out the pulp and put candles inside, in general, they try in every possible way to create a semblance of a Jack-o-lantern. Since the Halloween pumpkin is the main symbol of the holiday, we will tell you how to make a Halloween pumpkin and share several cute Halloween pumpkin options. Sometimes, in order to create something of your own, original and unlike anything else, you need to see a few other people’s ideas for inspiration, so look at our selection and get inspired!

1. Pumpkin in a pumpkin
As a rule, a Halloween pumpkin is a very evil creature. Try creating a pumpkin monster that eats another horror monster. Halloween is, after all, a competition among pumpkins. You will need a huge pumpkin and a very small pumpkin; if you cannot find pumpkins of suitable sizes, you can take one of any size and one orange. Come up with a scarier facial expression and cut it out. When you cut out the mouth, it is better to start with a narrower part and do not try to do it right away big hole for a small pumpkin or orange, it is better to make it narrower and then trim it, because if the mouth turns out to be too big, you will have to look for a larger “victim”.

2. Famous character.
Agree, anyone can cut out 2 triangular eyes, a nose and a terrible crooked mouth, but this happens from year to year and everyone is pretty tired of it. Therefore, we suggest you review all the horror films in your house and choose a couple of the most charming characters, for example, Frankenstein or Jack from the cartoon “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” At first glance, it seems that only a professional with ten years of experience can cut such a miracle, but this is not at all the case. Arm yourself with a felt-tip pen, the better, which is on water based so that it can be easily erased, take a pumpkin and draw the face you like on it. Keep in mind that you will have to cut with a regular sharp knife, so try to avoid too small parts.

3. Bats
Bats can be considered another symbol of Halloween. Since ancient times, these wonderful fluffy lumps with thin leathery wings have inspired fear and horror in many people, which means that it is quite possible to frighten guests with these cute creatures. And to avoid theatrical fainting, carve mice into your pumpkin. Moreover, you can arrange the bats in any order, or you can try and cut out eyes, nose and mouth in the shape of mice. At the same time, depending on the position of the wings, you can change the facial expression, make it cheerful, sad or angry. To cut out small parts of mice, use a small, thin, sharp knife or a regular utility knife.

4. A real lantern
Have you noticed how everyone cuts out faces all the time and calls them Jack O'Lanterns? Why exactly faces? A lantern must be a lantern. Ancient or modern, garden or camping, but a lantern. Do you share the same opinion? Then arm yourself thin knife and a black marker or black acrylic paint and a brush with synthetic bristles. Choose an image of any lantern you like, draw it on the pumpkin and cut out the part through which the light should be visible. Place a candle inside, just first you need to clean the pumpkin from the pulp, and your Halloween pumpkin will take on an original look.

5. Snowman Jack
Although Halloween is considered a time of rampant evil spirits, not everything about it has to be scary. As you know, there is a place for good and bright things always and everywhere. And there’s very little time left until winter, so let’s remember the snowmen. Snowman Jack, greeting invited friends right outside front door, will create a real sensation. Prepare a hat, a collar from an old shirt, several large buttons, glue, markers and a wine bottle stopper. Using glue, glue on the collar and buttons, cut out the eyes and mouth, and glue on as a nose wine cork. Draw pupils, eyebrows and ears with felt-tip pens. Such a fat good fellow will be a wonderful decoration for your home for Halloween.

6. Lacy pumpkin
Since we've moved away from the theme of jack-o'-lanterns, why not also move away from the theme of the ugly and try to make something beautiful. For example, master painting techniques. A painted pumpkin for Halloween is, of course, original and beautiful, and you can also say with one hundred percent certainty that you will not find a second pumpkin like this anywhere else. This is also a great gift for guests at the end of the celebration! In order to make such beauty, you don’t need to have a red diploma from the academy. artistic creativity, one brush is enough, acrylic paint, several contours on the glass and a pair of toothpicks. Cover the pumpkin with an even layer of acrylic paint, let it dry so that your handprints do not remain on the paint. After the paint has dried, there are several options for continuing the decoration: you can immediately pick up the outline and use it to draw leaves, mysterious patterns and dots, or you can first take a toothpick and use it to draw some unusual pattern on the pumpkin, and then decorate it using a contour. In general, do not limit your imagination and awaken the artist within you!

7. Functional pumpkin
As they say, why should good things go to waste, let's try to make a pumpkin not only beautiful, but also functional. You can come up with many examples, here are just a few of them. If you arrange a real holiday and invite guests, then a Halloween pumpkin can turn into an excellent refrigerator for you. Chilled drinks are always welcome, so cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the core and stuff it crushed ice. Place bottles of beer, lemonade or juice in ice and serve. Such a spectacular dish will definitely be remembered by your guests and will be used throughout the holiday.

Let's not waste time on trifles, because we are talking about a holiday. On your festive table pumpkin can become completely indispensable if you use it instead of dishes, for example, for salad or punch. This hamburger pumpkin will look original. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the core, instead of the usual cutlet, put a large chop, garnish with cheese, lettuce and tomato slices, and instead of sesame seeds, glue the seeds that you cleaned from the core to the pumpkin. To make pumpkin punch you will need 1 liter apple juice, 350 ml pineapple juice, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 large apple, a few cloves and 1 large pumpkin. Using a small round scoop, make several balls out of the apple and stick a clove into each ball. Pour apple, lemon and pineapple juice into the pan, add cinnamon and cut out apple balls. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes, without boiling, then cool slightly. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and carefully clean the middle, removing all the seeds. Pour the slightly cooled punch into the pumpkin and serve.

A Halloween pumpkin in itself can be a great source of inspiration, and in combination with the tips and ideas presented here on how to make a Halloween pumpkin, it will surely lead your imagination to create something of your own, original and unforgettable!

The main attribute of Halloween is a pumpkin head. In fact, few people know why a pumpkin with carved eyes, a mouth and a candle inside is considered a symbol of the holiday. It turns out that there is a legend about Jack, who managed to deceive the devil. The cunning drunkard Jack cannot go to either hell or heaven, so he wanders the earth, lighting his path with a jack-o-lantern made from a pumpkin. This is where the name of the pumpkin came from - Jack-O-Lantern. Now let’s figure out how to cut out the Halloween flnarik correctly.

Let's see how this is done in the video presented in Russian, since Halloween is now celebrated in Russia, and not just in the USA, Ireland and other countries that love this holiday.

Today there is great multitude Ways and tips for carving pumpkins for Halloween. You can see what the result is in the photo:

A master class will help you understand how to carve a Jack-o'-lantern from a pumpkin.

How to carve a Halloween pumpkin: a master class for beginners

Materials:

• pumpkin;
• sharp knife;
• scraper or regular spoon;
• awl or thick needle;
• paper;
• marker;
• scissors.

1) When choosing a suitable pumpkin, you need the fruit to be dense and smooth surface no stains or defects. It is desirable that the vegetable has a height of more than 20 cm, is ripe, symmetrical, with a hard, dry stalk at least 5 cm long.

2) Using a felt-tip pen, draw a round, square or other shaped lid. The hole for the candle is made on top of the pumpkin, and for the jar with lanterns - on the bottom. Cut out the drawn lid using a sharp knife and carefully remove it, taking it by the tail.

3) Clean the inside of the vegetable from pulp, fibers and seeds with a special scraper or spoon until the walls become 2-3 cm thick.

4) To give the pumpkin a facial expression, you need to come up with a face and draw it on paper. Color over the areas that will be cut out with a marker. Attach the image to the pumpkin with tape and pierce the outlines with an awl.

5) With a sharp knife cut out the picture, carefully adhering to the boundaries that you drew.

6) All that remains is to do the lighting. You can use an ordinary candle by placing it in a glass. To prevent the vegetable from burning, the lid must be removed. A lamp in the form of a cord with light bulbs, which should be wrapped around, is also suitable. glass jar. Place the lamp inside the pumpkin, take the wire out through the hole at the bottom and plug it into the outlet.

It is believed that such a talisman should be placed near your home on the eve of the holiday so that no evil spirits can come close. That's why pumpkins are carved at Halloween. Unfortunately, the Jack-O-Lantern made from pumpkin will sooner or later have to be thrown away as the vegetable may begin to spoil. A great alternative to this craft is a paper pumpkin.

Let's look at some ways to make it.

Making a pumpkin out of paper

Paper pumpkins can be cut in the same way as paper snowflakes. You will need a piece of paper orange color, scissors and pencil. Suitable paper is matte colored or decorative with a corrugated texture. Fold a sheet of paper in half front side inward and from the fold line, draw half a pumpkin with any face. Next, cut out the design along the contour. Lay out the sheet and align the fold line. The result is a pumpkin that can be attached to the wall or used to decorate a fancy dress costume.

Paper pumpkin with surprise

To make the craft, prepare strips cut from double-sided orange paper 2-3 cm wide.

Fold them in half to determine the middle. Glue each pair of strips together in the form of a cross. Then glue the resulting parts together to make a snowflake. You can use a stapler instead of glue.

Place a surprise in the form of a candy, toy or chocolate bar in the center of the craft and connect the opposite strips, giving a rounded pumpkin shape.

You can make a tail for a vegetable from green paper by cutting out a strip and twisting it onto a pencil in the form of a spiral. Make leaves from corrugated paper.

Paper crafts are budget option decorations, and making them will be a lot of fun.

Video on the topic

Halloween is bright and happy holiday, and in addition to the outfit, its integral attribute is a pumpkin-lantern.

How to make a pumpkin for Halloween? To do this you will need a marker or felt-tip pen, a tablespoon, table knife(one larger, the other smaller), a small candle.

Take a marker and draw a circle (or polygon) around the “tail” of the pumpkin. Carefully cut off the future cap, making sure that the cut is cone-shaped, otherwise the cap will eventually fall into the pumpkin itself. Trim off excess fibers and pulp from the inside of the lid.

Now let's move on to the pumpkin itself. Remove the insides with your hands, and then thoroughly clean the walls of seeds and fibers using a tablespoon. It is best if the thickness of the walls of your pumpkin is 2-3 centimeters, then you can make a more complex pattern without fear that it will break.

Now the fun part is making the “face” of the pumpkin. First, think about what kind of face it will be, evil or good, maybe you even want a pattern or ornament, it would be nice to first draw a sketch on paper. Next, use a marker to draw a design on the pumpkin (or glue the sketch to its surface and make holes along the contour with a needle or awl) and start cutting. In order not to get confused in the process, completely paint over (shade) those places that need to be cut out. Large parts are cut out with a larger knife, small parts, respectively, with a smaller knife. If there are traces of marker left on the edges, wipe them off with a damp cloth.

All that remains is to place a candle (or garland) inside, light it and cover the pumpkin with a lid - your lantern is ready!

Now you know how to make a pumpkin for Halloween, and below we will present a selection of photos with pumpkins with different faces and patterns so that you have something to start from when creating your own lantern.