The cooler your pumpkins look, the cooler your house looks on Halloween. Let your neighbors know how much you love October 31 with awesome-looking jack-o-lanterns. Follow some of these tips, this year your pumpkin can look better than it has ever looked. We’ll give credit to Good Housekeeping for some of these helpful ideas.

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  1. Choose a pumpkin that's fresh, with a sturdy stem, no bruises, and a flat bottom so it won't roll while you carve.

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  2. Cut from the bottom. Cutting your "lid" from the bottom of the pumpkin helps prevent the sides from caving in later.

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  3. If you are going to carve from the top, cut out the lid on an angle, so it won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on top, like it would with a straight up-and-down cut.
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  4. Scoop out all the pulp. You can use an ice cream scoop. Thin the inner wall of the "face" area to 1¼-inch thick, so it will be easier to pierce the shell.

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  5. Sketch your design on paper first. If you draw your jack-o'-lantern face to size just tape it to the front of your pumpkin and use a fork or pencil to poke holes along the lines you want to carve.

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  6. Hold the pumpkin in your lap.
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  7. Start by making simple rough cuts. If you get the big pieces of pumpkin out of the way first, you can go back and clean up the edges of your design later.

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  8. Use your scraps creatively to make tongues, pipes, or hair accessories.

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  9. Spread petroleum jelly on the cut edges to seal in moisture and keep the pumpkin fresh.
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  10. Create a chimney. First, leave the lid on for a few minutes while the candle burns. Then make a small hole where the lid has blackened.

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  11. Sprinkle cinnamon inside the lid. That way, when you light the candle, your jack-o'-lantern will smell like a pumpkin pie.

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