Hands down, one of my favorite Halloween traditions is our annual pumpkin carving night with family.
I still remember being a kid, dreaming up designs that would take forever to carve while my mom roasted pumpkin seeds in the oven. Somehow, all these years later, not much has changed.
My sister still complains about pumpkin guts but always ends up carving something impressive. My nephews choose wildly ambitious designs that take hours. Jeff and I spend half the night keeping sharp tools away from Alex and usually finish our own pumpkins after he goes to bed. My dad handles the big knives and reminds everyone to be careful approximately 47 times. And my mom is still somehow helping everyone, keeping the mess under control + providing moral support.
It’s chaotic, messy + one of those traditions we genuinely look forward to every year.
If you’ve never hosted a pumpkin carving night, it’s such an easy Halloween tradition to make your own. Keep it casual, put on some music, gather your favorite people + let everyone create something different.
Here’s everything you need to make it fun, festive + easy!
Start with the pumpkins
Encourage everyone to bring their own pumpkin so they can choose the size, shape + color they want.
BYOP, if you will.
And unpopular opinion: I will always pick the weird, warty pumpkins.
If you’re shopping for pumpkins ahead of time, look for ones that feel firm, have a sturdy stem + sit relatively flat so they’re easier to carve and display.
Cover the table before you do anything else
Pumpkin carving is messy. There is no way around it.
Cover your table with a disposable tablecloth, newspaper or something you can roll up and toss when you’re finished. I also like keeping a large bowl or two nearby for pumpkin guts + seeds so they don’t end up all over the table.
Bonus points if the table covering doubles as an activity for younger kids, like the color-your-own table covering included in our Pumpkin Carving + Decorating Kit!
Have plenty of carving tools
Make sure you have enough tools so everyone isn’t waiting around for the same scoop or carving saw.
Helpful things to have on hand:
pumpkin scoops
carving saws
small detail tools
stencils
dry-erase markers for sketching designs first
large bowls for seeds + pumpkin guts
Dry-erase markers are especially helpful because you can sketch directly on the pumpkin without leaving permanent marker lines behind.
Give younger kids another way to participate
Not everyone needs to carve.
For younger kids, set out paint pens, adhesive gems, stickers, or other decorating supplies so they can be included without needing sharp tools.
This is also a great time for a color-your-own table covering or another simple Halloween activity they can work on while everyone else is carving.
Add stencils + design inspiration
Some people know exactly what they want to carve.
Others stare at a blank pumpkin for 20 minutes.
Have a few printable stencils or simple design ideas available so no one has to start from scratch. You can also let everyone draw their own designs first with a dry-erase marker before committing to the carving.
Keep safety in mind
If kids are involved, make sure an adult is supervising the carving tools.
Younger children can scoop pumpkin guts, decorate, choose stencils + help with the non-cutting parts while adults or older kids handle the carving.
Keeping a basic first-aid kit nearby is never a bad idea either!
Don’t forget the lights
Once the pumpkins are finished, battery-powered votives make it easy to light them up without dealing with open flames.
Have a few extras on hand so everyone can see their finished pumpkin glow before the night is over.
Put out easy snacks + drinks
Pumpkin carving is more fun with snacks.
Keep it simple with:
popcorn
candy
finger foods
apple cider
pumpkin treats
For the grown-ups, pumpkin beer or apple cider mules are always fun additions!
Roast the pumpkin seeds
If you’ve still got some patience left after the pumpkin guts, don’t toss the seeds.
Rinse them, remove as much pumpkin pulp as you can, dry them well, toss with a little oil + seasoning, then roast until crisp.
It might end up becoming part of the tradition your kids look forward to the most.
Put on a Halloween playlist
Every good pumpkin carving night needs a spooky soundtrack to set the mood. Create a playlist with everyone’s favorites, or use ours if you want an easy button!
Our family-friendly Halloween playlist is perfect for carving, decorating, snacking + keeping the energy up while everyone works on their masterpieces, with maybe a dance break or two along the way.
Make it a friendly competition
Up the stakes with a little friendly competition + a few silly award categories at the end.
Ideas:
Most Creative
Funniest
Spookiest
Most Ambitious
Best Kid Creation
You do not need actual prizes. Bragging rights + candy work just fine.
And don’t forget to take pictures before the pumpkins start collapsing… or get eaten by squirrels.
Make cleanup easy
Make sure to have garbage bags, paper towels + cleaning supplies nearby before you start.
Black kitchen towels or washcloths are especially helpful because they’re much more forgiving with pumpkin stains.
The best cleanup trick is still the simplest: roll up the table covering with the mess inside and toss it!
Pumpkin carving is messy, a little chaotic + still one of those traditions that somehow becomes more fun every year. Keep it simple, let everyone make their own kind of masterpiece + don’t worry too much about the mess.
The best part is ending the night with glowing pumpkins, full bellies + another Halloween memory made with your favorite people.
Cheers to less stress, more fun, and enjoying the real happy hours with the ones you love!
Want to Make Pumpkin Carving Night Even Easier?
Our Real Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving + Decorating Kit brings everything together in one ready-to-go bundle so you can skip the store hopping + get straight to the fun.
Each kit includes reusable carving tools, pumpkin stencils, a dry-erase marker, paint pens, adhesive gems, battery-powered votives + a color-your-own table covering, all packaged in a festive reusable bowl that’s perfect for pumpkin guts + seeds while you carve, then popcorn, candy or Halloween treats later.
It’s designed so everyone can join in, whether they want to carve, decorate or do a little of both.
Just add pumpkins!
