jackolanters

This week, my friends and I got together and carved pumpkins. Every year, as a Halloween ritual, I like to buy a big orange gourd and use a cheap carving kit to cut goofy faces. Carving pumpkins is a international tradition. Some people like to carve other Halloween inspired designs, such as bats and ghosts. Nonetheless, I’ve always stuck to a simple, funny face. As great as pumpkin carving is, it’s not all fun and games. Here’s an honest review of pumpkin carving.

Pumpkin Carving’s Best qualities

This activity is a great creative outlet. Pumpkin carving gives total freedom in a unique artistic medium. You get to create this beautiful jack-o-lantern and enjoy it’s flickering smile. However, since pumpkins rot quickly after being carved, you know it won’t last long. As sad as this is, the pumpkin’s short life span really makes you appreciate the art of carving.

Also, handing children sharp blades and having him cut take out aggression on pumpkins gives kids a safe outlet for anger. Many parents are afraid of their child exploding in a violent episode, resulting in potentially fatal injuries to themselves and those around them. Luckily, these violent outbursts will never happen during the month of October. We have pumpkin carving to thank for that.

The Evil Side of Pumpkin Carving

Besides the fun of actually carving the pumpkin, everything leading up to it is hell. There is no consistency with pumpkin prices. I went to three different stores for the best deals. Whole Foods has 2/$15, Alberstons had $6.99, and Trade Joes had $2.99. All these numbers had my head spinning. Not only were the prices confusing, there were many different shapes and sizes of pumpkin. This made the decision incredibly stressful and scary. After purchasing a pumpkin, Trader Joe’s had the audacity to not carry the pumpkin carving kit. What was I supposed to do with a pumpkin and no tools to carve?

I went to Albertson’s and Target as well, both also having zero kits. After being pushed to the brink of insanity, Ralph’s was my savior. They had plethora of carving kits, with different knifes, scoopers, templates, etc. I also got a flat tire driving from store to store. Pumpkin carving really can be a horrendous task.

Is this Halloween tradition a fun family activity or a nightmare