Pumpkin Carving and Halloween

Halloween Traditions

Carving pumpkins is a very serious tradition in my household. I don’t remember when it got started or why we started carving, but it stuck. It’s usually me who brings it up, and coerces people to drop their schedules and commitments and to celebrate the season by carving pumpkins. It is also like the season opener to fall and the other holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas which my family loves to celebrate as well, not to mention my mom’s birthday and mine sandwiched in between those events.  To other people who don’t carve pumpkins, they might see me as annoying, but I see myself as the preserver of a Halloween and fall tradition started many years ago.

  Over the years, we have acquired three heavy duty pumpkin carving kits, four stencil books, and lots of memories. Carving pumpkins is not just a cliché thing to do around Halloween, it is the staple of our celebration of the holiday. We set a time that we can all carve pumpkins and usually block out several hours. My mom always tries to find a new pumpkin seed recipe that she can try out with all the seeds from the pumpkins we carve. Since my dad usually joins us right after he gets home from work, the kids have to gather the newspaper, set up the table, print out the stencil, and get all the tools ready for when he gets home. It’s a pretty strenuous process, but it yields great results.

Pretty soon, the only people that are left carving are my sister, me, and my dad. My brothers have usually lost interest but will suddenly come back downstairs right as we are finishing up to “help”. Kind of like the Little Red Hen, we do all the heavy lifting on their pumpkins so they can bask in the finish of their creation that they didn’t have a hand in. Meanwhile, pumpkin and spices waft through the air from the oven, where my mom has been laboring to finish the pumpkin seeds.

Honestly, this is my favorite tradition. I love how my family always seems to find a break in their schedules to enjoy this holiday and to take a step back from the crazy world. I also like all the stories and pictures that are shared of past Halloweens. Even though sticky pumpkin guts get coated on your hands and make a huge mess, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s all worth it when you get to set your finished creation outside, with a candle lit inside it that inspires awe in all trick-or-treaters who pass by. I wouldn’t trade my family tradition of carving pumpkins for anything- it might just be the best night of the year.

By the way, if you're looking for cool pumpkin carving ideas or just browsing, click here, here (I loved the kittens one), and here (anyone got an old shirt?).