Halloween comes around every year and we celebrate it by dressing up as terrifying characters and decorating our homes with creepy objects like carved jack-o-lanterns.

Every year thousands of pumpkins are bought and carved. This fun and rather inexpensive tradition is repeated every year with people trying to create the customary jack-o-lantern or creating an original design. But before you start carving, you obviously need the right tools.

  • A boning knife – Use these long thin-bladed knives to cut out those large chunks of pumpkins and the opening.
  • A paring knife – This small knife is perfect for carving in more detailed work into your pumpkin. Make sure to sharpen it before using it.
  • A serrated knife – This knife is the best way of sawing off those chunks that require a lot of effort. If you wish to cut out of those smaller areas, use a steak knife.
  • Use a large spoon as a gutting tool in order to remove the insides of the pumpkin.

Time to carve the pumpkin

Firstly, use your long serrated knife to cut off the lid. The best way to do this is to angle the blade towards the centre of the pumpkin. This allows you to get a ledge that will support the lid once you have finished carving.

Using your ice cream spoon or serving spoon, scoop out the seeds and string from inside the pumpkin. Once the pumpkin is empty, proceed to scrape away the inner pulp from the area you aim to carve. Ensure you thin the pumpkin's wall down to approximately 1 inch thick. Best way to test this is to insert a pin through the wall.

Once you have drawn your design on tracing paper, tape the design to the side of the pumpkin you are going to carve.

Using your boning knife, saw through the design lines, cutting out the outlines for those pieces before punching them out.

Once you have finished your design, place a candle inside and light it. Replace the lip on the ledge you cut earlier and you have your very own jack-o-lantern.