Every year that my husband and I have been married we have thrown a PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY. It’s something I look forward to every October. I am one of those adults who still lives for reaching my hand into a pumpkin and pulling out the slimy guts. Then sketching out a face and watching a jack-o-lantern come to life.

Over the years this Pumpkin Carving Party has taken on many forms. Here are some ideas to get you started on hosting your own Pumpkin Carving Party.

ADULT and TEEN PARTIES – When we were newly married and without kids, we invited other young couples and we ate marinated fresh mozzarella balls with olives place on each one to resemble an eyeball. One of those first years I made this Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake and it was amazing

We would carve our pumpkins while watching either the gloriously campy original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or my favorite Hitchcock film Rope.  Both films are suitable for all adults, which is nice because I am someone who cannot handle and real scariness or gore in films.  If you and your friends do, go for it with a scary film you love.

FAMILIES and KIDS – Since we have had kids our Pumpkin Carving Parties have changes to hearty Beef Stew in a Pumpkin (come back here on Friday for that recipe!), store-bought bread, and a collection of fun treats that are playful and not too gross-looking.

We have had ghosty pinatas, treat bag decoration contests, relay races, and other easy games.  When my kids were really small we played “duck, duck, goose” as “ghost, ghost, BOO!”

Make sure if you plan on playing a video that it’s not scary. When I was a child I was completely freaked out by Disney’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as well as Hocus Pocus.  Don’t assume that because your kids aren’t scared by a film that other people’s kids won’t be.  Consider It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown or Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror

PARTY PREP – 

• Make sure you have plenty of large, black, sturdy, garbage bags for people to scoop their pumpkin guts into.  I always cover my tables with inexpensive, black, vinyl, tablecloths (you can get these at Dollar Tree or Walmart for $1). I usually double them up for added protection.

• Decorations and table-scapes are easy to find at the Dollar Tree!

• Keep lots of paper towels handy!

• Have extra scooping and carving tools on hand for those who forget.  I also get 1-2 extra pumpkins for the same reason.

• Have paints and paint brushes for guests who don’t want to carve a pumpkin.  We always have 1 or 2 who don’t want to!

• Plan your party well in advance. In my experience October is the beginning of the holiday season.  This is when most people’s Saturdays get jam packed with hayrides and pumpkin patch visits, corn mazes, and parties!

Here are some free Pumpkin Carving Party invites! They are sized at 5×7″ and you can add your own info in Photoshop, Word, or hand-write it in!

Don’t forget to visit on Friday over at aYEARofFHE.net for the recipe for BEEF STEW in a PUMPKIN! You will love this recipe!!