Host a pumpkin-carving party of your own with these helpful party planning tips.
- Pick a date near Halloween to keep jack-o’-lanterns looking sharp for the big night.
- Got kids? Start the carving in the afternoon, and give them paint sets, markers and stickers to decorate their pumpkins.
- Make sure guests know how to use the tools properly. Show them, or read instructions aloud.
- Carving is messy! Cover work surfaces with newspapers or a vinyl tablecloth.
- Keep the menu simple. Organize a potluck, or serve finger food and snacks instead of a meal. One sweet option is an eerily easy Jack-O’-Lantern Cupcake.
- Play Halloween-themed songs and burn pumpkin-pie-scented candles.
- Just for fun, take a vote to determine the scariest, silliest and most artistic jack-o’-lanterns.
- Fire up the pumpkins, using votives. Be sure to take a group photo for your Halloween scrapbook.
Click here to read about a family that’s turned a pumpkin-carving bash into a frightfully fun annual tradition.
Pumpkin-Carving Party Tips Photo by Cindy Syria and Sandy Manion.
