Pumpkin carving is one of the most fun (and sometimes also most stressful 😅) Halloween activities, however it can be difficult to choose or commit to a design. We’ve wrapped up all our favourite pumpkin carving ideas with a real range or ideas for different abilities (beginner to pro) and different aesthetics (cute to scary) to help you choose a design. We’ve quickly answered a few pumpkin carving related frequently asked questions before listing all the best pumpkin carving ideas to use for Halloween 2024!
How should you prepare your pumpkin for carving?
Firstly, you’ll want to prepare a space for carving your pumpkin – as it can be messy – by laying down newspaper or sheets on a hard surface like a table or floor. To prepare your pumpkin for carving, cut out the top to create a removable “lid” for your lantern, then pull off this lid and clean out the insides of the pumpkin using a spoon. Your pumpkin is now ready to be carved and you may want to draw on a rough design using a pencil or pen to give you a guideline for carving.
Does soaking your pumpkins after carving make them last longer?
Yes, if you soak your pumpkin in a bleach & water solution for a few hours your pumpkins will last longer. You will want to create a solution with a 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water, which you can then soak your pumpkins in for a hours after carving so that your jack o’ lantern masterpieces last longer. There are other ways to make your pumpkins last longer too such as by wiping down the insides of them with a solution of one quart of water with one teaspoon of bleach.
How early is too early to carve pumpkins for Halloween night?
You want to carve your pumpkins as close to the big night as possible but if you want to get them ready early then 3-5 days prior to Halloween night should be fine.
Let’s get started with our favourite pumpkin carving ideas!
1. Star Eyes Jack O’ Lantern
This is such a simple design which just looks really cool.
If you aren’t great at carving pumpkins or haven’t before, this is a really great design that you will probably be able to make a decent go at.
2. Angry Pumpkin Eating Mini Pumpkin
How cool is this design? 🤭✨
This is a really fun idea to recreate and if you are carving with someone else who is younger or just not as proficient at carving, then the mini scared pumpkin makes for a really great pumpkin for them to do.
3. Stacked Pumpkins With Skeleton Carving
This is such a knockout carving design which is sure to stun any visitors that come to your house on Halloween night.
You will definitely have to be quite the pro to pull of this design or will need to invest a bit of time watching YouTube tutorials if you really want to recreate it.
4. Scream Face
If you are a fan of the Scream movies then this is a really cool design to recreate.
Yes this design is slightly more complex than you typical Jack O’ Lantern but you will probably be able to carve a pumpkin like this if you take your time and draw out a good guideline first before carving.
5. Cute Miffy Carving
Miffy is such a cute character that makes for a relatively easy and fun pumpkin design.
Cute Halloween decor has become increasingly popular in recent years so if you are someone who prefers it to your more typical scary Halloween decor, then this is a really great design to attempt.
6. Pumpkin Split In Two With Skull Pumpkin Inside
This is a really unique pumpkin idea that will really give your front door Halloween decor a little edge.
The skull pumpkin below and the pumpkin split in two make for really beginner friendly designs yet look really professional and cool when done together for this idea.
7. Minnie Mouse
This is the perfect pumpkin design for Disney fans. 😌💅
If you want an extra pretty and chic pumpkin then you will definitely want to recreate this design.
8. “Trick or Treat” Jack O’ Lantern
This jack o’ lantern will make for the perfect door side pumpkin for trick or treaters to see on the big night.
Carving letters like this will take a lot more skill than you may assume but if you are someone who is quite skilled at carving pumpkins, this is a great design to do.
9. Pumpkin House With Cute Tangerine Residents
You’ve probably seen this design in recent years as it has become increasingly popular and for good reason.
This is a really cool design which is relatively easy to recreate.
10. Corpse Bride Pumpkin
Ok, this is a very professional design that you will need to be very skilled to recreate.
This is such a stunning design that you are sure to obsess over and want to take plenty of photographs of if you manage to pull it off.
11. Stars Pumpkin
This patterned carving is relatively easy to recreate and makes for an really unique pumpkin carving idea.
Something about it just makes for really great party decor so if you are holding a Halloween party this is a really great design to recreate.
12. Minecraft Jack O’ Lantern
If you are a fan of Minecraft or have a gamer in your household then you are definitely going to want to recreate this jack o’ lantern.
So obsessed with just how accurate to the game’s jack o’ lantern this is! 🤩😮💨
13. Emotion Pumpkins : Heart Eyes & Winking Face
These are your typical Jack O’ Lantern designs but are ones that never disappoint and are beginner friendly.
With the recent popular movie “Inside Out 2” you could even maybe paint each emotion pumpkin a corresponding colour with the emotions in the movie for a very on trend pumpkin design for this year.
14. Cat Pumpkin
Cat fans rise up for this one! 📣😼
This is such a cute and cool pumpkin design that is sure to impress.
15. Pumpkin With Watermelon Monster Crawling Out
This is a really unique and cool design that is perfect if you are looking to do a design that your Halloween night visitors likely won’t have seen before.
As this design does make use of a watermelon, this design will likely only stay intact for a maximum of 10 days.
16. Edna Pro Pumpkin Carving
Edna makes for such a hilariously cool pumpkin design that is sure to be a conversation starter and make for some really cool Halloween pictures that you will look back on for years to come.
This is an extra professional design so don’t expect to be able to recreate this easy! 😅
17. Scared Pumpkin Being Eaten By Mini Pumpkin ‘Bugs’
The scared pumpkin is a really cool design that makes for a really sick design for the pumpkin carving expert of your household to recreate.
The mini pumpkin ‘bugs’ are a really fun craft which will be extremely easy for the carving novices of your household to help out with,
18. Spa Day Pumpkin 😌
This is technically more of a pumpkin painting idea but is still a really cool pumpkin carving idea nonetheless, despite the very little carving required.
It doesn’t really get more aesthetically pleasing than this for pumpkins so if you are looking for an extra pretty pumpkin for your Halloween decor, then you are sure to want to recreate this pumpkin.
19. Jack Skellington Face
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is such a classic Halloween movie and this pumpkin is such a cool reference to the film.
Jack Skellington has really became a staple for Halloween decor and this pumpkin will make for both a cool scary pumpkin as well as a cool reference to the film.
20. Minion Pumpkin
Minions are such a beloved set of characters and so any kids that see this pumpkin are sure to be excited by the minion’s appearance.
With the release of Despicable Me 4 this year, this design is particularly perfect for Halloween 2024.
21. Scary Classic Jack O’ Lantern + Night Sky Pumpkin
These two jack-o’-lantern designs are just so ‘Halloween-y’ and cool.
If you want two seriously sick and stunning jack-o’-lanterns, then these are really great designs to recreate.
Hope you liked these pumpkin carving ideas and have found some jack o’ lantern designs to use for your Halloween 2024 pumpkins! Thanks for reading! 🙂
