Easy Ways To Have A Jack-O-Lantern Without Having To Cut Up Your Pumpkin

If you're like me, you can cut up a chicken, handle any kind of raw meat, but pulling the guts out of a pumpkin for a Halloween jack-o-lantern is too much to take. I don't know if it's the sliminess of the pumpkin seeds and strings or just the fact that it seems like you are a serial vegetable killer, I just hate that part of Halloween. Kids, however, love a jack-o-lantern, so I came up with some ideas to make things easier on you this year:

1. Glitter, baby - You can do so many things with glitter and a pumpkin. You could spray the whole thing with spray adhesive and roll it in orange, black, or any combination of fall-colored glitter. You could use a glue stick to draw a face on your pumpkin and use black glitter for a sparkly, scary face. You could even draw a witch on a broom flying across your pumpkin in glue and then sprinkle with glitter. Light a candle next to your pumpkin to make the glitter dance, or you can use a battery operated candle for safety.

2. Paint - Using paint and different types of brushes, you could paint your favorite Halloween character's face on your pumpkin. You could even do musical pumpkin with your favorite band's logo.

3. Doll face - A couple of googly eyes and some old dolls hair, the collar off an old shirt and a silly hat would be a great alternative to a spooky jack-o-lantern and the kids will think it's hilarious to look at. You could go scary and glue some hairy eyebrows and lipstick in a crooked frown on your pumpkin for a creepy clownface if that's your vibe.

4. Crack it up - After you paint a face on your pumpkin, drop it so you can let someone who is brave enough to touch the guts reach in and pull some out so it looks gruesome. Make sure you put that mess on a platter so it's easier to transport to the trash the next day.

Happy Halloween!