- Keep your finished pumpkin on a metal pie or cookie pan, especially if indoors. This keeps any dripping wax that might get through the pumpkin off the furniture and when the pumpkin begins to go bad, prevents messy spills and stains.
- Do not leave a pumpkin unattended with a lit candle inside.
- When using knives, even a pumpkin carving knife:
- do not let very young children use them
- always point knives away from you
- keep your free hand away from the direction of the knife
- use a slicing motions, like cutting a sandwich, and never force the knife.
Remember…
- For a unique jack-o-lantern, add a little glow paint, or fake blood.
- Insert a bowl into a carved pumpkin and add dry ice and warm water to create an extra spooky, smoke filled jack-o’-lantern.
- Apply a light coating of petroleum jelly on all cuts to seal the wounds and make the pumpkin last longer.
- If you need to keep a carved pumpkin for a few days, keep it in a cool, dark place to slow spoilage and lessen fruit flies.
- You can usually revive shrunken pumpkins by soaking them in a bucket of water.
