Halloween is fast approaching. Although this event is primarily celebrated in the United States, it is also becoming increasingly popular in Poland. Check out how to prepare pumpkins for Halloween
A regular feature of many American movies and TV series is the depiction of Halloween and the characteristic decorations prepared from pumpkins for the occasion. This is an unusual vegetable, which can be used to prepare many interesting decorations. Halloween cannot do without pumpkin lanterns. But how to make them?
One of the most traditional ways to prepare for Halloween is to make pumpkin lanterns. However, not many people know that this custom has its roots in Ireland and in the symbol of Halloween night called Jack O’Latern. The well-known spooky pumpkin lanterns are a must-have item on the evening of October 31. The great thing about this decoration is that we can actually let our imagination run wild and prepare such a lantern as we like. Our imagination and ingenuity can find an outlet in the interesting shapes that we hollow out in our pumpkin.
Before you start cutting out shapes in your pumpkin, you should properly prepare it for this. The process should start with hollowing out the flesh of the pumpkin. We can use it later to prepare our favorite pumpkin dish. First, we do this by carefully cutting off the tip of the vegetable. Pumpkin skin is hard and thick, so it is worth preparing a large and sharp knife. Remember not to throw away the tip of the pumpkin! Next, we should sketch the elements to be cut out on the pumpkin. This way we will avoid movements that will destroy the effects of our work.
At this point, we can move on to cutting out the eyes, mouth, nose, and other elements that we have sketched on the pumpkin. For this purpose, sharp knives with a thin blade will work best. It’s a good idea to choose blades that have a hard, sharp point, allowing you to drive it into the hard skin of the pumpkin. After cutting out the shapes, you can put a candle inside the pumpkin, which you will light in the evening. Then plant the tip on the pumpkin again. Instead of a candle you can also put LED lights, which you will roll up in a ball. It is worth cutting an extra hole for them, preferably in the back of the pumpkin. You will need it to pass the cable and connect it to the electricity.
At the stage of pattern sketching we must answer one of the most important questions: What is the effect to be – the pumpkin should be scary or rather funny? It is also worth considering slightly crooked smiles, reminiscent of theatrical masks, which with their mocking form perfectly emphasize the atmosphere of the evening. Contrary to appearances, no less good solution is to choose a sad face. Preparing several such lanterns, it is worth experimenting with shapes, choosing cheerful, sad and scary
The crux of pumpkin lanterns is to give their “faces” unusual expressions. The simplest solution is to cut a slight, symmetrical smile and triangular eyes and nose. The nose should point with the tip toward the mouth, and the base of the triangle should fit between the eyes. However, it is worth experimenting with these elements. Sometimes it is worth to omit the nose and cut out the eyes to make them more human-like. Then cut out only those fragments that will imitate the whites of the eyes. If you combine it with a zig-zag smile, you will get an extremely spooky form, which will most faithfully reflect the monsters known from nightmares. The smile should also be prepared to resemble interlocking teeth.
