Last-minute pumpkin carving and decorating help

Whether you're six or 60, there's nothing more wholesome or festive than carving a Halloween jack-o-lantern. If you've left it to the last minute, don't worry. We've rounded up pumpkin carving hacks and inspiration from TikTok and Instagram, ranging from beginner-friendly to pro-sculptor level.

Carving Hacks

Try cutting open your pumpkin from the bottom, using a serrated knife or even a drywall saw. A handheld electric mixer can make scraping out the insides a lot faster and pottery tools can help you get that precise line. 

If you aren't up for carving a design, try using cookie cutters and a mallet. Did you know that adding cinnamon to the inside of your pumpkin can help keep rodents away and create a scrumptious smell?

Try an LED light instead of a candle to make for cool and creepy colours.

Design Inspiration

Use a large and small pumpkin to make a giant pumpkin cyclops.

Forgo carving altogether and try your hand at painting some blue and white pumpkins.

Turn your pumpkin into a centrepiece with no carving required. 

If you've got the carving skills, take inspiration from your favourite movies. 

Download a stencil from the internet, filtering by pattern and difficulty, and use it as a guide. Tape the stencil to your pumpkin and use a toothpick to poke small holes, creating guide lines for carving.

Adam is a professional pumpkin carver so he's got a ton of ideas, like leaving in the guts to mimic the inside of a mouth and carving additional details out of potatoes, carrots, or other vegetables.

Or maybe a pumpkin train is your preferred mode of transportation.

A very quick and clean option is to turn your pumpkin into a make-shift vase by drilling some holes and putting in some floral stems.