Many of the customs and traditions of Halloween first came to the US in the 1800s, brought by Irish immigrants who were practicing variations on old Celtic traditions. The modern practice of pumpkin carving has its roots in the carving of gourds and other large root vegetables. 

What used to be simple, scary faces and expressions has now grown to be just about any image the carver desires. By peeling the outer shell as well as making cutouts, even more detail and shading is possible. This hub has just about everything you need to know about pumpkin carving!

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." - Linus Van Pelt

• Get a big pumpkin so that you have a larger surface to work with.
• Using modern pumpkin cutting knives is a lot safer and allows for better detailing than using any old knife you grab out of your kitchen.
• Instead of cutting the top, try cutting out the bottom of the pumpkin. This lets it sit flat and then you lift the pumpkin up and set it down over the candle/light.  Cutting a chimney hole to let out heat is a good idea with this method.
  
• Take your time. The best way to get a great looking carving is to have plenty of time and work slowly. This lets you get all the details just right.
• To get the design on the pumpkin, it's best to tape the pattern to the pumpkin and then makes lots of little pricks along the lines to be cut. You can do this with an icepick or a special pumpkin tool make for the job.
• Scrape the pumpkin thinner behind where you are carving.  This is going to make the cutting out part a LOT easier.
  
• If you are using one of those great new types of pumpkin tools that can't cut fingers, here are some tips for use.  Hold the tool gently, saw briskly and saw at a 90-degree angle, or you risk snapping off the blade.
  

The number one thing you can do to keep your pumpkin looking fresh for the holiday is to not carve it too far ahead of time. After all, this is an unrefrigerated vegetable that you've just hollowed out. Suggestions include

• Don't carve out the shell to thinly. Leave a little meat inside the pumpkin as this helps it retain moisture.
• Soaking the pumpkin in water every few days is a trick some folks use to keep their pumpkins hydrated longer.
• Keep it in the refrigerator during the day and only put it out at night.
  
• Bleach water - some people soak their pumpkins in a bleach water solution to kill mold.
• Commercial "pumpkin spray" is mostly a borax solution which works to kill mold and fungus.