How to Have a Pumpkin Carving Party

A pumpkin carving party can be great fun for people of all ages. Whether you throw a party for your adult friends, a group of youngsters or for a few families in the neighborhood, pumpkin carving has a magical way of getting everyone involved and using their creativity to carve the perfect pumpkin.

Things You'll Need

• Pumpkins for everyone
• Pumpkin carving tools
• Newspaper
• Stencils and pens
• Garbage bags
• Plastic
• A work space large enough for all your guests
• Large paper bags

Instructions

How to Have a Pumpkin Carving Party

1. Be creative when considering the invitations. If you'll be handing the invitations to guests personally, consider fashioning the invitation in a scroll and attaching it to a mini ornamental pumpkin.

2. For the big night, make sure your work space is adequate for the number of guest. You may want to lay plastic down where you'll be working to protect your flooring.

3. Don't forget the Halloween music. The Monster Mash, anyone?

4. Have snacks and beverages available in a different area. It can be in the same room, but you won't want to have snacks where pumpkin innards could be flying.

5. As people arrive, they can select a pumpkin and either draw a jack-o-lantern's face or use one of the stencils you've provided.

6. Have the work station set up with newspaper on the table and plenty of carving utensils so that no one has to wait for someone else to be done.

7. With garbage bags at hand, when people are finished, wrap the work area up with the newspaper and put directly into the garbage bags. If you put plastic on the floor, you may want to toss that into the garbage, too.

8. Package each guest's carved masterpiece in a paper bag for them. Don't use plastic bags, which can accelerate the spoiling process of the pumpkin.

9. As an added treat, give each guest a votive candle for them to take with them and everyone will rave about what a good time they had at your pumpkin carving party.

Resources

• Perfect Pumpkin Carving Patterns