Keep jack-o’-lanterns smiling longer with simple tips

October 23, 2008 - 9:00 pm

From Home & Garden Television, here are some tips for carving pumpkins.

* Before carving a face on a pumpkin, draw your design on a sheet of paper and tape it to the pumpkin. Follow along the template design with a nail or pin and punch holes in the pumpkin, scoring the design into the pumpkin.

* When cutting the hole for the top of a pumpkin, leave one square notch in the back so it can be easily placed back on the pumpkin.

* Prevent your pumpkin from becoming soggy and burnt by drilling a vent hole in the jack-o’-lantern’s lid to allow heat from the candle to escape.

* After carving, coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly. This will slow the pumpkin’s dehydration process and keep the jack-o’-lantern smiling longer.

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