# Need Help With Pumpkin Carving Party Ideas



## MichaelMyers1 (Jan 12, 2008)

Spooky Halloween Greetings, all! This year we are thinking about having a pumpkin carving contest instead of a Halloween Party. We did not have a Halloween Party last year because we were getting ready to put our house on the market. We had parties two years earlier and they were good, but not great. The main two reasons they were not great were because#1 not a ton of people dressed up, and #2 and many of our guests "party hopped."-so at any given time there were not a ton of people at once due to going to them going to other parties. So this year we were thinking of doing a pumpkin carving contest...that way it will still be Halloween related but not make people feel they have to dress up because many people we invite just dont like to and #2 many people dont have the financial resources. We are thinking this will be the first annual contest for my husbands work. (He owns his own business and employs about 25 people-many who are married.) Its a great way to thank all his employees for working so hard and to get people together outside of work.
So the full fledged decorating will be out, of course....but I need some other ideas from all you fabulous party throwers.
Some of my ideas are:
The theme will be pumpkin carving contest...pumpkins provided by us. There needs to be categories...scariest, funniest, most original?? What type of prizes...gift cards?
Invitations...I was thinking of making a Save The Date Invite so people can plan ahead...and then the official invite.
Food....I was thinking a Chili Bar-Chili, Corn bread, all the fixins, we have a Nacho Cheese Machine, corn chips....and maybe Hot Dogs for grilling over a fire pit?
Plenty of Halloween candy-bowls filled to the rim with all the best. Would LOVE to do a candy bar, but maybe not in this years budget.
It will be an indoor/outdoor party with the inflatable haunted house and a big bon fire.
So-I need some help with the details...let me know your great ideas and thanks!!!


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

Sounds like you've pretty much got things under control!! Don't forget lots of carving tools, maybe some paint or markers, (for those who are so inclined) candles to light the pumpkins, lots of newspaper to catch the guts. 

Gift cards are always great prizes, then you don't have to worry about catering to anybody's tastes. The menu sounds great..is this a family party? Kids coming?

I have a question...why is the full-out decorating not possible? Just curious.

And see if there is anywhere you can buy pumpkins in _BULK_!!! LOL!


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## EvilMel (Dec 6, 2007)

Have you thought about making it a pumpkin carving party instead of a contest? Some people might get a bit intimidated by an actual contest. You could call it a pumpkin carving party and tell everyone, there will be prizes awarded for the best entries! Then they wouldn't feel intimidated but you could still have it be a contest.


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## MichaelMyers1 (Jan 12, 2008)

Good Ideas! Hooch-sorry for the confusion...when I meant the full fledged decorating would be out I meant set up/out for display-not out of the question out if that makes sense?? Bad wording.....and EvilMel..good idea about the carving statement...I will talk to my husband to see. Its actually for his employees at work, and there are many guys, so they may love a good contest....there will be adults only, no kiddos! And yes, I am very concerned about Pumpkin Prices...I will have to figure that out. Each person will be able to take their pumpkin home for Halloween night if they would like (I heard vaseline on the insides preserves it, correct?) Want to make the back yard haunted. We have an inground pool and would love to float some type of jack o lantern decor in there but the pool will be closed for the season, so Im not sure how to pull that off. Keep the suggestions coming


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## ghostship13 (Jul 16, 2005)

We have a pumpkin carving party every year. We don't make a contest out of it, mostly because there are a ton of kids (grandkids and a few friends) and some of them take awhile to get their pumpkin finished. We usually have the party before Halloween and start sometime in the afternoon to give everyone enough time to carve their pumpkins. The past couple of years we have supplied the pumpkins and made the party a pot-luck type thing. Lots of good food and its fun to see what everyone comes up with for Halloween dishes!!


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

I gotcha...you meant the decorations would be out (as in UP)....not out (as in NOT up) 

Whew! You had me worried there for a minute...


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Play movies and/or mood music.
If you provide food and tools, maybe say Bring Your Own Pumpkin.
Prizes could be gift cards and Halloween themed items like; coffee mugs, candles etc...
Otherwise, it sounds like the party I would like to throw! (If I ever get a house!)


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## Gothikren (Aug 17, 2008)

Perhaps you could look online and find someone who could sell you the artifical pumkins that are reuseable if you were wanting them to have something they could take home and if you're worried your guests won't want to get too messy.... tho who doesn't love putting their hands in some goopy pumpkin guts.. I think the artificial pumpkins are called Funkins or something like that. Also I have read somewhere recently that if you're doing something like this a good idea is to set up a couple of long tables and cover them with some newspaper. It also mentioned that you need a carvings set for about every three people I dunno that seems like it is a bit off to me tho I would think they'd be all wanting it at the same time maybe you can say some carving tools will be provided, but if you'd like you may bring your own. In case someone wants to get really creative.

Perhaps your save the date cards could be pumpkins or pumpkins in a pumpkin patch and your actual invites could be jack-o-lanterns to go along with the theme. Sounds like you have a great idea for everything though. I wish you lots of fun.


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## EvilMel (Dec 6, 2007)

Funkins are a great idea but the problem is that they are more expensive than regular pumpkins. If you are going to foot the bill for everyone's pumpkins, then it would be really expensive to do funkins, wouldn't it?

I have been meaning to go by and get some funkins!


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## MichaelMyers1 (Jan 12, 2008)

Yes, the one concern I have is buying the pumpkins and carving tools. This is why we must have an RSVP , so that everyone has a pumpkin to carve. Many people will be coming as couples, so one per couple will be good. Im going to try and find some good prices on carving tools as well. Love the save the date/ invite ideas. I saw some great jack o lantern paper that I might use.


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## EvilMel (Dec 6, 2007)

I don't want you to think I'm discouraging you in any way.

I absolutely love this idea of a pumpkin carving party/contest that you had. I think it's a fantastic idea. 

Realistically, you could tell people, "hey you can bring your own pumpkin if you want to, or I'll have a few extras on hand for those who can't make it to the pumpkin patch." That way you could focus on buying the carving tools. 

Another thing you could do is to buy one kit for two-three people and then get some extra metal or wooden spoons (might have some in your house) that people could use to scrap out their pumpkins. Each kit comes with one scooper and that's what people would have to wait on.

THEN, you could get people to stagger what part of the pumpkin carving they're doing. By this I mean that one person could be cutting/gutting while another is putting on their pattern and poking the holes of the pattern. Each takes a bit of time, then they could switch off and you would need fewer tools.

Each kit comes with one scooper, two saws, one poker, and one hole borer (that can double as a poker) usually, so each kit could easily accommodate at least two people that way (if not more, as long as they stagger things). They also have pumpkin carving party versions of the Pumpkin Masters kit, I believe. You might look for those (I believe they have more scoopers) but as long as people have extra scooping-type of things, you could get away with fewer kits.

What you could also do is to get some large cheap wooden spoons and cut the handles off with a saw so that they would be more hand held (and fit down inside the pumpkins).

Also, I hate to say it but Wal-mart always has pumpkins for like $4 apiece and if you dig to the bottom of the cardboard barrels into which they stack them, you can find really REALLY large ones in there.

whew.


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## MichaelMyers1 (Jan 12, 2008)

Good ideas on the scoopers. This wont be a HUGE party....because its a company event, some people will come, some will not....you know how that goes! I guess we will see how many RSVP and then go from there...good idea on Walmart Pumpkins...they are decent priced and have good sizes!!


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## Gothikren (Aug 17, 2008)

also another item a lot of people like to use to scoop out pumpkins seems to be icecream scoops I've never tried that before but seems like it would work pretty well.


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## EvilMel (Dec 6, 2007)

That is a really good idea. I have this thing called a pumpkin gutter. It's basically a really long drill bit that has a scooper ball on the end of it. It works really great.

If you had one of those, you could knock out everyone's scooping in record time!

Here's where I bought it. It's only $12.
Zombie Pumpkins! - pumpkin carving patterns - Sickening Store!

Oh and that's a GREAT site for pumpkin patterns. I'm getting ready to join it this weekend. I'm getting very excited about starting to carve some pumpkins. One of my exchange partners is gonna get a funkin that I carved...shhhh.


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## spooky little girl (Aug 22, 2006)

I like the idea. Might try that myself this year, as I am moving too. Seperate categories for kids 'painting/decorating pumpkins' would work well too. That way the parents can use the sharps and not worry about the tots.


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## Gothikren (Aug 17, 2008)

Oh I love the idea of the seperate area for the smaller kids with painting and you could maybe use pumpkin pie pumpkins for them to paint on, and make some cute halloween smocks


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## MichaelMyers1 (Jan 12, 2008)

Love the kids idea....would be great if there were kids coming, but there are hardly any people who work for my husband that have kids so it will be adult only. Does anyone know where I can buy bulk pumpkin carving tools? Evilmel...I totally need the pumpkin scooper...im going to check out the site. And a carved funkin?? What an AWESOME gift idea...that is one lucky partner! Keep the ideas coming!


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## 13ghosts (Aug 16, 2008)

I'd keep checking the dollar stores in your area, there's a chance you could pick up a few sets of carving tools there. I'd consider offering paint also for those who don't want to carve.

We either buy most of our pumpkins from walmart, or last year our church had a pumpkin festival. We ended up stopping on the last day when they were trying to clear out the pumpkins that were left over--we left with tons for only $10.


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## Marshmallow Electro (Aug 27, 2008)

I was watching th show 'Frasier' the otherday (Halloween episode) and they had Pumkins with just mad, cool shapes carved into them, but when they were lit up, they looked amazing 

x x x


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## Spooky Chef (Aug 14, 2008)

I have a pumpkin carving party / contest every year. I just buy a bunch of tools at the dollar store, big lots, etc. I usually buy more on clearance after Halloween, so I have quite a few by now. I put all the utensils in a plastic cauldron for everyone to use. I also print out and /or buy a bunch of patterns for people to use also. I do provide paints for the kids that are to young to carve. I ask everyone to bring their own pumpkins, but have a few extras on hand just in case. This year I am going to try something different, which is to have people bring their pumkins already carved. We usually start about 4:00 so everyone will have time to carve before dark, but it usually so hot. I am going to start the party at 6:00 this year, hopefully will be slightly cooler after the sun goes down! Now is just have to think of something fun for the guests to do since they won't be carving at the party


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