Faces

• The face is the most iconic jack-o'-lantern and the easiest to do. If this is your first pumpkin or you are helping a child to carve a pumpkin, consider beginning with a face. Cut out two eyes, a nose and a mouth on the nicest side of the pumpkin. You can try to make it look realistic, or go with a funny, scary or weird face. Add ears on the side of the pumpkin or long skinny cutouts on the top for hair.
  
  

Characters or Creatures

• There are many patterns available for free or purchase online that will assist in carving out characters or creatures. You can go with a Halloween theme and carve out a bat, black cat or witch, or stick with something fun like Batman. Patterns come in all skill levels, so you don't have to be an expert carver to follow one. Print out the pattern and tape it to your pumpkin, then use the traditional pumpkin carving tools, a small saw or knife, to cut through both the paper and the pumpkin.
  
  

Words

• Write a message to your trick-or-treaters this year, using your pumpkin. Some words may be available in a pattern, such as "Boo" or "Creepy," but you can free-hand your own words as well. Practice writing the word you want on a piece of paper; remember that you have to keep some pieces of the pumpkin in place between the letters. Once you have it down, write it in pen on the pumpkin or use your paper as the pattern. Cut out your word and display it by your front door.
  
  

Relief Carving

• Relief carving means to carve a pumpkin in 3-D, without going all the way through the flesh of the pumpkin. This type of carving is more difficult, but very impressive if done correctly. Pick an easy design to start with. Draw your face on the pumpkin and start chipping away at the rind and flesh with a knife or spoon. You don't want to go through the entire pumpkin. Carving a pumpkin this way could take hours, depending on the size of your pumpkin and your skill level, so don't start it 30 minutes before you need it.