Spooky or cute, we all have creative ideas for carving the ultimate pumpkin for Halloween. A fun idea for a Halloween party for all ages is a pumpkin carving party. It’s a creative way to celebrate the beginning of the fall season. Plus, it’s a great excuse to dig into that Halloween candy early.
Finding inspiration
Before setting up your party, you’ll want to start thinking about pumpkin designs. Most people will want to carve a pumpkin with a template, but it’s great to have some other options for kids, like jewel stickers, paint and glitter. Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration, free pumpkin carving templates and other decorative ideas.
Choosing pumpkins
Rather than starting your party at home, meet at your local Co-op to pick out pumpkins. You’ll want to grab at least two extras for people who couldn’t make it or in case there’s a ‘pumpkin accident’ before carving begins.
For the younger kids, you may want to pick up a few smaller foam pumpkins. They are much lighter than real pumpkins and can be easier to work with.
Use stencils and crafts to get creative with your pumpkin design.
Setting the scene
Since it is a fall party, a casual rustic look is a fun idea. You can achieve this look with burlap table runners, kraft paper tablecloth, metal pails or mason jars to hold carving or craft supplies, weathered wooden boxes or crates to act as stands on the food table or to display completed pumpkins, small hay bales or anything else you have with a country feel to it!
Pumpkin carving party supplies
Set out a large variety of pumpkin carving and decorating tools for your guests to choose from. Some guests may want to do traditional carvings like jack-o’-lantern faces, while others may want to tackle a complex carving stencil. The younger guests may not be as interested in carving and they may prefer a pumpkin craft area instead. Don’t forget your camera to take pictures of all the fun and the completed pumpkins.
Creative ideas include:
- both real and foam pumpkins in a variety of sizes
- printed carving templates (some slightly spooky, some for kids)
- carving tools (one set for every three guests)
- plastic food wrap (it helps to hold the template on the pumpkin)
- paper towels
- plastic tablecloths (for easy clean-up)
- two pails (one for the scooped pumpkin and one for the seeds)
- garbage bags
- LED candles
- paint for pumpkins
- glitter and glue
- jewelled stickers
- miscellaneous craft supplies like felt squares, scissors for kids, pipe cleaners, etc.
- crayons and Halloween-themed colouring pages for kids
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| Keep partygoers warm with soup, hot drinks and snacks. |
Food and drinks
The weather is cooler, so a “warming station” would be perfect for a pumpkin carving party. Ideas include:
- envelopes of individual dry soup mixes
- crackers
- buns
- paper bowls
- plastic spoons
- paper ‘to-go’ cups with lids for drinks
- envelopes of apple cider or hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and whipped cream
- fresh, warm cinnamon buns or muffins straight from the oven
- hot water, so guests can prepare their own soup and beverage
If you’ll have kids at the party, you’ll want to include some easy bite-sized treats, like mini muffins, a meat and cheese tray and mini chocolate bars. A fun idea is to drill holes in a pumpkin and use it to hold cake pops as a treat.
For pumpkin-themed snacks, ideas include:
- pumpkin pie or pumpkin tarts
- roasted pumpkin seeds
- pumpkin loaf
- pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
- pumpkin spice doughnuts
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| RECIPE: Pumpkin Snack Mix |
Not sure what to do with the pumpkin seeds? First you’ll want to rinse the pumpkin off the seeds. Toss the clean seeds in a bowl with a little olive oil and stir well to coat the seeds. Sprinkle dry ranch dressing mix over the seeds, toss to coat, then place in the oven at 400º F for 15 to 20 minutes.
With all the party prep, you may not have a lot of time for baking. Visit your local Co-op Bakery for freshly made treats that your guests will love.
Cheryl Kirkness is a stay-at-home mom and owner of momsandmunchkins.ca, a blog filled with activity and party planning inspiration for all ages.