Need some Jack-o-Lantern carving tips and inspiration for this Halloween? Well, I've got it covered with a Jack-O-Lantern infographic that showcases simple and unique jack-o-lanterns that are certain to spook!

Halloween is fast approaching…. I thought it would be super cool to share some great ideas of my favorite DIY of the season: carving Jack-o-Lanterns! If you're still brainstorming about the best design for your pumpkin this year, I have few carving tips and ideas here that you can duplicate for that BOOOO-mazing Halloween…

How To Carve The Perfect Jack-O-Lantern [Infographic]

For centuries, people have carved faces on pumpkins to peer out from their porches and doorsteps. This practice originated from the Irish myth of Stingy Jack, a mythical character associated with All Hallow's Eve. As the legend goes, Stingy Jack deceived the devil into not claiming his soul once he died. So when he finally did, he was doomed to wander the Earth. The Devil sent Jack off into the darkness of the night, with only a burning coal to light his way. So Jack simply put the coal into a carved-out turnip, and has been wandering the Earth ever since.

So it came to be that the Irish and the Scots started to create their own adaptations of Jack's lanterns by carving spooky faces into turnips or potatoes and putting them on doorways or windows to scare away Stingy Jack and other evil spirits. In England, huge beets are used. The practice made its way to the United States via the immigrants who brought the Jack-o-Lantern tradition with them. They soon adapted pumpkins, an American native fruit, to carve perfect Jack-o-Lanterns.

Ready to carve a perfect Jack-o-Lantern? Check out the infographic below for some tips.

Click here to Enlarge

Jack-O-Lantern : Tips and Inspiration

Tips For Getting Started

1. Prime Your Pumpkin

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Cut a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. Remove and set aside. Remove the pumpkin “guts”, keeping the seeds if you want to roast them.

2. Plan Your Design

Make sure you start with a game plan. You can even find a stencil online that you can print and use as a guide.

3. Make It Last

There are many ways to keep your pumpkin from rotting with household items, but you can also buy a pumpkin spray that will do the trick.

No-Carve Options

1. Paint and Stickers

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2. Glow in the Dark

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3. Markers

4. Glitter

There's nothing better than being greeted by your animals after a long day on the homestead ???? pic.twitter.com/rkt8cRstVO

— Homesteading (@HomesteadingUSA) August 20, 2016

For The Experienced

1. Glow Sticks and Dry Ice

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2. Cat Pumpkins

3. Use a Drill

4. Cookie Cutters

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For the Adventurous

1. Hungry Pumpkin

2. Pumpkin Skull

3. Haunted House

4. Pumpkin Patch

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The excitement that surrounds Halloween may be overrated for some, but for many, the hunt for the perfect costume, the promise of Halloween candy, the happy laughter while trick-or-treating, and most especially that perfect Jack-O-Lantern, beautifully hand-crafted with my grandkids, is what preserves Halloween as one of the most celebrated holidays of the year.

Did you find this helpful and interesting? How will you carve your pumpkin this year? Let me know in the comments below.

Want more Jack-O-Lantern ideas? Check out this post!

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