Lighting your Pumpkin

A pumpkin without lighting just doesn’t look right. It’s dull and boring…almost no Halloween spirit. Just think…how could your neighbours even see it in the dark?

Let’s discover ways in which you can light your pumpkin – the traditional ways and the smart ways!

Candle Light – knew you knew that one but we haven’t explored the ways to properly light your pumpkin with a candle so that you don’t ruin it. Tealights work well as the flames are not tall and the wax is contained. But most don’t think about ventilation. Candles produce heat which dehydrate your pumpkin or in some cases even cooks it! Make sure your base where the pumpkin is going to sit is nice and flat. Place your tealight in the pumpkin (that is nicely carved with a scary pumpkin stencil from our site…sorry had to add that in…lol) and insert the top onto the pumpkin. This will allow you to determine the area in which the smoke will heat the roof. Only leave the top on for about a minute and remove it to determine where a chimney is required. Cut the area in which the smoke has damaged the roof with a pumpkin carving knife in an angled motion creating a cone shape. Make the inside of the pumpkin have the base of the cone and the outside peel be a smaller shape.

Pumpkin lights (purchased at many retail outlets or online stores) – this pumpkin light usually have mini lights and have options to have a constant light or a static light which resembles a flicker. This works well but you must remember to turn it off when you go to bed as it does not die out and will be permanently burnt out by the next morning if you forget to flick the switch

Light bulb – carve your top lid on the bottom instead. Use a light bulb with a base and place your carved pumpkin (without a bottom) ontop of the lightbulb. This option works well but most light bulbs create heat which cooks your pumpkin and you will visually see this option from the outside as the light bulb is very large.

Christmas mini lights – why put these in the basement closet and forget about it. Take a stapler and staple these throughout the inside of your pumpkin. No heat and no mess…you utilize something in your closet! Try using a small set of multi color lights with a blinker bulb…you’ll be the only one with this cool display.

Plastic tealights – these are a new option to lighting your pumpkin as they haven’t been out long. These can be found at more specialty store that sell home décor. They are the size of a tealight but produce little to no heat and no smoke! What’s even better is they flicker like a regular candle. The downside is that most have a switch that must be turned off when you go to bed so that the battery doesn’t die. These are a great option to light your pumpkin as it will also help to increase the life of the pumpkin.

Glow sticks – these provide about 4 hours of light and do not heat. They are also very safe so the perfect choice for children. However, make sure your pumpkin is in a dark place as the light is not as bright as candle light.

Please remember never to leave your pumpkin light and unattended around children. Make sure that your pumpkin is outside if using a candle and on a concrete (or inflammable base) It’s a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy when lighting your pumpkin with a heat source.