Whether you are a beginner or a pro, we’ve found the best pumpkin carving ideas for you! From simple, whimsical, scary, & downright brilliant, you’ll be able to find something on this list!
Carving a pumpkin for Halloween has got to be one of the most fun activities of the season. There are no rules, there is no specific method, & it’s a fun inexpensive thing you can do during October!
Where did pumpkin carving come from?
Good old Ireland! The tale says a guy named Jack tricked the Devil for his monetary gain. When he died he couldn’t go to heaven or hell, so he roamed around the earth for eternity. The locals started carving scary faces into turnips to keep Jack’s wandering soul away. The tradition made its way into the US and around the world.
Today this tradition has become a family favorite. Whether you pick out your pumpkin from a pumpkin patch or nab one up from the grocery store, carving a pumpkin is too much fun to pass on.
Besides picking out the pumpkin, you might want to think about a few of these things before you get to carving this year!
- Pick your carving design before you get your pumpkin. The design you might want to do will require a tall pumpkin or maybe more than one.
- Use a dry erase marker to draw out your design. You can erase it as needed until you get it perfect. Bonus, you don’t have a pen or permanent marker lines left on your carved pumpkin.
- Soak the carved pumpkin in cold water with a small cup of bleach to keep mold & bacteria away overnight.
- Keep the moisture in. After soaking overnight, add vegetable oil or petroleum jelly to the cut fleshy parts of the pumpkin to reduce drying out & shriveling.
- Choose the right time. A freshly carved pumpkin after the above following steps may last you about 5 days. So if you want your pumpkin lit on Halloween night, plan accordingly.
- Display in the shade. Don’t leave your pumpkin in the sun to preserve it for as long as possible.
- Use battery-operated tea lights. Real candles will destroy your pumpkin sometimes in as little as one night! Use battery-operated tea lights that have a timer.
Ready to find the perfect Pumpkin carving ideas? Keep on scrolling to see the best ones for every skill level!
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EASY PUMPKIN CARVING IDEAS
Don’t be ashamed to admit that easy pumpkin carving ideas fit your skill level! This is for the majority of all of us! Pumpkin carving does require a little bit of elbow grease, so if you’re looking for something easy to DIY, then you’ll love the following ideas!
01 | MOON & STARS
02 | CREEPSTER
03 | HAPPY HALLOWEEN
04 | GLOWING ORBS
05 | HALLOWEEN ON THE COAST
06 | PASTA MOUTH
07 | CRAZY EYES
08 | PALM TREE IN THE MOONLIGHT
09 | SUPER SCARED
10 | PERFECT PATTERN
11 | JACK-O-LANTERN
12 | ONE EYED MONSTER
13 | CARVED CAT
14 | MICKEY MOUSE
15 | STRONG EXPRESSIONS
16 | FORKY FROM TOY STORY
17 | SPIDER ATTACK
18 | KITTY CAT
19 | FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER
20 | SWEET KITTY
21 | WEREWOLF PRINT
22 | BATTY
23 | A HALLOWED SMILE
24 | PUNCHED OUT FACES
25 | HIS LIPS ARE SEALED
26 | FALL LEAVES
27 | MICKEY MOUSE ICE CREAM BAR
28 | LOLLIPOP PUMPKIN HEAD
29 | PEEK-A-BOO
30 | ALL SEEING
31 | CORK NOSE
32 | NERDY PUMPKIN
33 | COOKIE CUTTER
INTERMEDIATE PUMPKIN CARVING IDEAS
Ok, so let’s say you have a little more pumpkin carving skills than a beginner? These in-between pumpkin carving ideas are a great way to show off your skills, without the risk of a disaster!
34 | CAT & MOUSE
35 | WINNIE THE POOH
36 | ZOMBIE HAND
37 | BRACES
38 | SCAREDY CAT
39 | HAUNTED MERRY GO ROUND
40 | SKELETON HANDS
41 | STARTLED
42 | HAUNTED HOUSE
43 | PUMPKIN SURPRISE
44 | MUMMY
45 | SUNFLOWER
46 | A BUNCH OF OWLS
47 | PUKING PUMPKIN
48 | SINISTER GRIN
49 | PUMPKIN SEED OWL
50 | SKULL & CROSSBONES
Related Read
45 Carve Free Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
51 | SPIDERMAN
52 | EVIL PUMPKIN
53 | CUPCAKE
54 | GHOULISH MUMMY
55 | JACK SKELLINGTON
56 | WICKED WITCH
57 | PERSONAL INITIALS
58 | VOODOO PUMPKIN
59 | THE RAVEN
60 | FLAMES
61 | A FAMILY OF PUMPKINS
62 | MONSTERS
63 | TRICK OR TREAT
64 | GHOST HOUSE
65 | LIFE SENTENCE
66 | CREEPY CREATURES
CHALLENGING PUMPKIN CARVING IDEAS
If you feel like you are a master at pumpkin carving, then this list of challenging pumpkin carving ideas is for you! From detailed cutouts to clever concepts, these pumpkins are nothing short of spectacular.
67 | PUMPKIN LANTERNS
68 | CARVED ROSES
69 | ENCHANTED CASTLE
70 | MASON JAR
71 | ATTACK OF THE PUMPKINS
72 | KNOCK ON WOOD
73 | HALLOWEEN CATS
74 | HALLOWEEN CAMPER
75 | FANCY PATTERN
76 | FACE OFF
77 | NASTY WITCH
78 | DRACULA
79 | THE GREAT WAVE OFF KANAGAWA
80 | SKULL EXPOSURE
81 | THE EVIL QUEEN
82 | BILLY FROM HOCUS POCUS
83 | LOCK SHOCK & BARREL
84 | PUMPKIN FRAPPUCINNO
85 | ALARM CLOCK
86 | OWL
87 | SCREAM
88 | FLOWER TOPPER
89 | STARRY NIGHT
90 | ALL TEETH
91 | HAUNTED HOUSE ON THE HILL
92 | HAUNT
93 | PUMPKIN CARRIAGE
94 | EXPOSED BRAINS
95 | THE MONSTER
96 | MARS ATTACKS
97 | DIA DE LAS MUERTOS
98 | ZOMBIES
99 | WITCHES BREW
Happy Halloween & Happy Decluttering!
