Have you ever chosen a pumpkin for your seasonal decoration only to bring it home and find it totally unsuitable for carving into a jack-o-lantern? Here are some things to consider before you head out to the pumpkin patch or store this year. It’s a guarantee you’ll pick an absolutely perfect pumpkin for your Halloween night fun.

Shape

Remember that while pumpkins with unique shapes are beautiful, it can be challenging to carve them. Very tall, thin pumpkins might find you elbow-deep when scooping out the seeds, which is not great for matters of maneuverability. The same goes for short, squat pumpkins with deep sides. And for those that are irregularly shaped, consider how they will sit once they’ve been carved. Will their irregularities cause structural or design issues?

Surface

Pumpkins with lots of lumps, bumps, ridges, and warts have a lot of character, but are not great for jack-o-lanterns. Look for a pumpkin with shallow ridges that aren’t too close together. The fewer blemishes it has, the better. Remember, you’ll be drawing your design onto the surface of the pumpkin, and then having to cut through the lines of your drawing, which means you’ll want the smoothest, most even pumpkin possible.

Size

In general, medium to large pumpkins tend to be the easiest to carve for the simple fact that you have a lot of surface area on which to draw your design and a larger pumpkin allows for better maneuverability. While there’s an advantage to small pumpkins – it doesn’t take much time to carve them – they tend to be very difficult to work with, especially if they’re so small you can’t fit your hand inside.

Structure & Aesthetics

Give your pumpkin a good inspection before choosing it. Look for one that is flat on the bottom and will sit up on its own. Make sure there aren’t any areas of decay or bruising that might accelerate the decomposition process once it’s been cut into – the entire pumpkin should be firm and should not sink or bow beneath the pressure of your fingers. It should also be a bright orange color in order to ensure it was harvested when it was mature. And check to make sure the stem is on tight and not about to pop off. (Remember, don’t pick it up by the stem!)

For more information on doing the holidays right, follow the Legends at White Oak blog.