The Simple Bliss of Carving Pumpkins

Halloween, or all hallows eve, is the one night out of the year where it is said that the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. Ghosts, goblins, and other fantastical creatures are said to freely walk the earth until sunrise the following morning. This idea gave rise to humans dressing in different outfits, or costumes, in an attempt to scare off the ghastly spirits. The tradition of carving pumpkins also was birthed from this idea; homes that displayed candle-lit pumpkins dressed with scary faces on their exteriors scared the spirits away, leaving the homes safe and secure until the sun rose the next morning.
Nowadays, the tradition of carving pumpkins is one of the highlights of the Halloween season. Adults and children alike find joy in this timeless tradition. With thousands of different stencils and patterns available, the design possibilities are endless. Carving kits, which are sold at most grocery stores during the month of October, make it relatively safe and easy for even school aged children to carve their favorite designs. It’s an easy way to pull Halloween inspiration from!
Included in the carving kits are tools to carve the pieces of pumpkin out, a scooper to remove the contents of the inside of the pumpkin , as well as a booklet containing 12-20 different stencils which can be pinned to the front of the pumpkin and used to carve the chosen design. The price for a carving kit averages between five to ten dollars and can be used to carve multiple pumpkins during the whole month of October.
Once your pumpkin has been carved, the final step is to illuminate your design. Traditionally, candles have been placed on the inside of the pumpkin and lit to bring the pumpkin to life. If you are going to use a candle, it is strongly encouraged that you extinguish the flame before retiring for the night. A much easier, safer, and better looking approach would be to invest in a pumpkin light. A pumpkin light is a small, battery powered LED light that is placed into the pumpkin to illuminate the jack-o-lantern. The lights come in a wide variety of colors and some of them can even flicker or strobe. Best of all, these can be left on all night without worry of fire.
Carving pumpkins is a time-honored tradition steeped in Halloween lore and fun. Nowadays, companies that sell Halloween decorations have made it easy for even the youngest of children to safely and effectively carve pumpkins. Treetopia.com is a great company to shop for kid friendly Halloween decorations. Not only is pumpkin carving a fun craft at Halloween time, but the finished products can be incredibly beautiful. Scare off the ghosts and goblins and carve your very own pumpkins this Halloween season.