Isa Riano, Advertisement Manager
As Halloween is approaching, pumpkin carving is an activity many students are planning to do with their friends.
“Carving your own pumpkins is a challenging yet fun initiative for the fall,” said Natalee Steele, a senior majoring in criminal justice.
Other students would like to do it to bond with their friends.
“I have not carved a pumpkin since I was a kid, but if my friends want to do it, I would have fun with it,” said Anthony Medeiros, a sophomore majoring in English.
There are many different ways to pumpkin carve.
“Although people want to get it perfect, creativity is key,” said Madeiros. “There is no right or wrong way to carve a pumpkin,” he said.
However, for those who do not know where to start, it is helpful to have some ideas and guidance on the pumpkin carving process.
Before starting the pumpkin design, it is essential to know how to pick the right pumpkin. According to Melanie Mannarino, it is necessary to choose a pumpkin that has an intact stem and is not brown to ensure it lasts long.
Nonetheless, because pumpkin is a fruit, it is vital to remember that after pumpkin carving, it can last as little as three days and as long as two or three weeks.
Another helpful tip is to keep the pumpkin out of sunlight and only carve it on Halloween or the planned day to do it with friends for the process to run smoothly.
When starting pumpkin carving, it is essential to put the fruit on a firm surface that does not stain easily. Having a tablecloth is often helpful.
To get started with the design, it helps to start by drawing it on a piece of paper and then putting it over the pumpkin with washable markers. After following those steps, safe knives from a pumpkin carving kit can help cut through the lines and generate the desired design.
After getting done, it is important to protect the pumpkin. A trick for doing so is spraying it with a bathroom cleaner container bleach, as it prevents it from getting eaten by squirrels. After spraying the pumpkin, people should let it evaporate for about five minutes.
A highlight of pumpkin carving is the joy it brings. Therefore, it could be exciting to put LED holiday string lights inside the pumpkin to give it some life.
Pumpkin carving is an activity many people like to do before Halloween. However, it is often easier said than done, as it involves knowing how to cut the pumpkin, coming up with a design, and preserving the pumpkin. Having some guidance on how to complete these tasks helps you have fun with making your pumpkin design!
Tips and inspiration from Mannarino’s article: https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/halloween/how-to-carve-a-pumpkin.
