Pumpkin is the most famous symbol of autumn and harvest, and pumpkin faces are the most famous symbols of Halloween. Among them there are scary, cute, angry, funny and kind pumpkin heads. Sometimes come across real works of art that look like living. About how to turn the symbol of autumn into Jack Lantern - read the review.

Why pumpkin is a symbol of Halloween

The initial Halloween celebration was held to mark the end of the harvest. And, of course, the whole rich autumn harvest was the main character of the holiday. But with the lights in the old days went night watchmen. The Irish have a legend about Stingy Jack, who is doomed to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgment Day.

Turnip was his lantern, as medieval Europe was not familiar with pumpkin.

According to legend, during his life, Jack was extremely stingy, quick-witted, but not very honest. Once he invited the devil to drink together, but he did not want to pay for a drink. Then Jack suggested that the unclean person turn into a coin for payment, and then put this coin in his pocket with a cross, which did not allow the devil to get out.After death, Jack was not accepted into paradise because of his not too honest life, and the devil, remembering the deception, refused Jack a place in hell. And the poor fellow went back to earth. And so that he had something to light his own way, they handed a coal, which he inserted into a turnip. So there was a Jack-lantern.

Immigrants from Europe rushing to America found many new plants there, which they used for their existing traditions. Jack changed his turnip to a pumpkin lantern. In addition to the fact that large-fruited pumpkin has always grown in abundance, it completely coincides with the theme of the crop and the colors of autumn.

So the tradition of the Irish holiday and one of its characters gained worldwide popularity.

Did you know? In the USA, Halloween celebrations are accompanied by many wonderful events and unusual records. In 2013, Stephen Clark set a Jack Lantern cut record in 16.47 seconds.

What is Halloween pumpkin called

The most popular Halloween pumpkin name is Jack-o’-lantern. A traditional jack-lantern is a carved pumpkin face with a candle inside. It can be made independently from a natural vegetable or purchased in a store. Decoration can be additionally decorated.

Among the ideas for decorating Jack:

• coloring;
• use of applications;
• decoration with tinsel;
• pumpkin makeup and other ways.

Jack-lantern is used to decorate the porch and decorate the premises.

How to make a pumpkin for Halloween

The decoration takes place in stages. First, they think about how to make a pumpkin lamp beautifully, select materials and tools. If you are not a professional artist and carver, choose a simpler drawing. Of course, the most evil ones are faces with teeth, but cutting them out is more difficult than even a smiled mouth.

It is also necessary to take into account the features of this work:

• how to clean the fetus;
• how to dry;
• how to peel;
• how to cut it to cut teeth, ears;
• how to prevent decay, so that the craft does not deteriorate longer.

In the Jack-lantern, the top of the vegetable is cut to form a lid, the inside is removed. The image, usually frightening or comical, is cut out by peeling and pulp. To create a lantern effect, a light source is placed inside.

Tools and materials for work

To make a pumpkin head, you will need:

• sharp knife;
• the spoon;
• pumpkin;
• paper;
• marker.

Step-by-step instruction for manufacturing Jack Lantern

Even before you make a lamp from a pumpkin with your own hands, you need to consider that raw fruits become unusable within a week. And if you want to keep the created masterpiece longer, you need to know how to prepare the fruit and how to dry it. For ordinary drying, it will take at least 1.5 months, and if the workpiece is needed quickly - use the oven.Instructions for drying:

1. Set the knife at an angle of 45 ° at the top of the fetus.
2. Cut off the cover so that you can conveniently take out the insides with your hand. Now you have in your hands a stalk with part of the pulp.
3. Peel the vegetable from seeds and soft parts. Use a spoon, it is better suited for this operation.
4. Dry the inside of the paper with paper for 5 hours; replace it as it absorbs moisture. As soon as the paper stops absorbing moisture, go to the next step.
5. Place the vegetable in the oven at + 60 ° C for 8 hours. Remember to rotate it periodically, or turn on airflow.

When the fruit is ready, cool it - and you can begin to cut the image.

Important! Applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the inner surface, edges and sections of the image creates a barrier to bacteria, and also adds radiance to the product. For a colored fetus, petroleum jelly will “work” as a sealant, which will allow the craft to last 1 week longer.

Instructions for cutting Jack Lantern:

1. Use a marker to draw a mouth, eyes, ears.
2. Gently, with a sharp knife, remove the crust and part of the pulp in the intended places.
3. Inside, install a candle in a candlestick or other light source and cover.

Pumpkin coloring

If you don't like the traditional orange color, paint the pumpkin in other colors. You do not need to think long about how to do this - in this case, they do the same as when painting pictures. First, a background is drawn, and then the main image is applied on top of it. For drawing you will need acrylic paints.

Step-by-step instructions for coloring:

1. Pick a fruit with a flat surface.
2. Rinse and dry well.
3. Draw a sketch image.
4. Assess the possibility of applying it visually.
5. Draw a contour with a marker.
6. Colorize with paints.

To paint better lay down, cover the pumpkin with sealant. Begin staining on its dried layer.

What else can be made from pumpkin

In addition to Jack Lantern, pumpkin has many uses.

Among the most popular:

• eating;
• production of decorative vases and accessories for the room;
• making original dishes for serving cereals and casseroles to the table;
• creating a decorative pot for indoor flower;
• pumpkin face mask.

Each part of the fetus can be used. Pulp - for soups, casseroles, mashed potatoes, cereals, pies, cakes, cocktails and even beer. Seeds in folk medicine are considered a strong anthelmintic.Eat the fruits of decorative varieties will not succeed because of their low taste. But to make them them vases, caskets, coasters - it is quite possible. Finished products can be varnished, applied, apply other means of decoration.

Pumpkin decorative pot will not stand longer than 2 weeks. But when it spoils, it will become a wonderful fertilizer in the garden.

Pumpkin mask will make the skin more tender, return it even color, enrich it with vitamins A, C and E. There are so many varieties of masks that you will surely pick up something for your skin type.

Did you know? In 2016, in the city of Richmond (USA), they built a solid line of 3975 Jack-o'-lanterns created by residents for the celebration of Halloween. The line length was 1046 m.

How to save a pumpkin for Halloween

Of course, if you did not dry the pumpkin to a very solid state to use in decorative crafts, it will inevitably rot. The answer to the question of how long the pumpkin is stored depends on how it is processed.

A fruit with signs of rotting will deteriorate faster than others (within a week), so when choosing a fruit, make sure that it does not have soft or damaged areas.Recommendations for increasing the shelf life of pumpkins:

1. Spend the maximum cleaning of the inner surface.
2. Wipe the fruit from the inside with a solution of bleach and water (1 teaspoon per ¼ liter of water). This will kill all existing bacteria.
3. Dry the fruit before cutting.
4. Wipe the surface with the above solution after work.
5. You can also immerse it in a basin with a bleach solution for 24 hours to make the pumpkin unsuitable for the development of microorganisms.
6. Store Jack Lantern in the refrigerator, or in the basement in a plastic bag.

Now you know how to prepare for a popular holiday. Use a pumpkin in any of the following ways - it is not at all difficult to bring any of them to life. And also invent your own ways to use these wonderful fruits.