Pumpkin Carving & Decorating Ideas: From Classic Jack-o’-Lanterns to Creative Faux Designs
- Amanda Moncrieff
- Sep 24
- 3 min read
Date Details
National Pumpkin Carving Day is celebrated every year on October 31st, the perfect setup for Halloween night! It doesn’t shift around — it’s always right there to kick off spooky festivities with glowing jack-o’-lanterns.
About the Day & History
Pumpkin carving is one of the most iconic Halloween traditions. The art of hollowing out gourds and carving them into lanterns traces back centuries to Irish and Scottish folklore, where people originally carved turnips and potatoes to ward off spirits. When Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, pumpkins became the go-to because they were abundant, easy to hollow, and visually striking. National Pumpkin Carving Day gives everyone a reason to stop, scoop, and get creative before the Halloween night fun begins.
Today, people carve pumpkins into everything from silly faces to elaborate masterpieces. And not everyone has to carve — faux carvable pumpkins, painted pumpkins, and decorated pumpkins with stickers, glitter, or stencils make the tradition accessible to kids, apartment-dwellers, and anyone who wants to skip the mess but keep the spirit alive.
Celebration Ideas
Solo
Challenge yourself with a detailed design (like a haunted house or movie character).
Try a no-carve pumpkin painting session with acrylics or metallic markers.
Carve a faux pumpkin you can reuse year after year.
Make pumpkin spice candles while carving to set the mood.
Share your design process on TikTok or Instagram as a time-lapse.
Couples/Spouses
Do a pumpkin-carving “face-off” and let friends vote for the winner.
Create matching pumpkin characters that reflect your relationship.
Light up your porch with side-by-side jack-o’-lanterns for trick-or-treaters.
Sip mulled cider or pumpkin-flavored lattes while carving together.
Try a no-carve painted pumpkin date night and turn it into a gallery display.
Families/Kids
Let kids scoop the pumpkin guts (messy but fun!) while adults handle carving.
Use kid-safe pumpkin decorating kits with stickers and googly eyes.
Paint pumpkins with glow-in-the-dark paint.
Bake roasted pumpkin seeds together as a snack.
Host a pumpkin lantern “parade” through your neighborhood.
Coworkers
Organize a pumpkin carving contest at the office.
Have a no-carve pumpkin painting table for quick, creative breaks.
Use carved pumpkins as décor for a Halloween party at work.
Host a pumpkin-themed potluck (pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup).
Share a team pumpkin display in the office lobby or breakroom.
Community/Public
Host a community-wide pumpkin carving contest with age categories.
Set up a pumpkin painting booth at a local fall festival.
Line walkways or parks with carved jack-o’-lanterns for a spooky night walk.
Offer a workshop on no-carve pumpkin decorating for all ages.
Partner with local businesses to display pumpkins as window art.
Pumpkin Carving & Decorating Award Certificates
Hosting a contest? 🎉 Make it extra special with printable award certificates! Create categories like:
Scariest Pumpkin
Funniest Pumpkin
Most Creative Design
Best Painted Pumpkin
Best Faux Pumpkin
We’ve included downloadable and printable award images that you can hand out as certificates to winners. These simple touches make your contest feel official and keep the fun going! 🏆🎃
About Shopping & Products
Carving and decorating pumpkins is more fun with the right supplies — from carving kits, stencils, and paint sets to faux pumpkins that can last all season. You can find all the best supplies and festive goodies through this Mavely link. These are affiliate links — shopping through them supports this content so we can keep bringing you festive ideas year-round.
Business Advertising Opportunities
Pumpkin patches can offer free carving kits with pumpkin purchases.
Coffee shops can run a “show your carved pumpkin for a discount” campaign.
Craft stores can promote faux pumpkins, paint, and stencils in themed bundles.
Restaurants can host pumpkin-carving nights paired with seasonal menus.
Local libraries can showcase carved pumpkins alongside Halloween storytimes.
Home décor shops can spotlight reusable faux pumpkins as sustainable options.
Grocery stores can tie in pumpkin sales with carving contests or recipe cards.
Gyms and studios can host a “Pumpkin Power” fitness challenge (lifting pumpkins!).
Social media influencers can run carving tutorials with affiliate product links.
Breweries can host pumpkin beer tastings alongside a carving contest.
Summary & Wrap-Up
National Pumpkin Carving Day is the ultimate kickoff to Halloween, inviting everyone to create glowing works of art. Whether you’re carving, painting, or decorating, the tradition is about fun, creativity, and community. This year, grab your pumpkins (real or faux), light them up, and let your imagination shine. 🎃
Check out teetheday.com for print on demand t-shirts with more designs being added daily.
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