This Halloween, take your pumpkin carving game to the next level with these 75 creative and easy DIY pumpkin decorating ideas. From sinister expressions to pop culture icons, these Jack-o’-lantern designs will be the talk of your neighborhood.
Witch’s Brew Pumpkin
Create a bubbling cauldron and witch’s hat to give the illusion this pumpkin is really brewing up some magic potions. Paint the pumpkin black before carving out a large opening at the top. Place a black cauldron inside filled with pieces of styrofoam, fake spiders, or other creepy items. Finish it off by adding a traditional witch’s hat on top.
This simple yet spellbinding design is easy enough for kids but spectacular enough to impress trick-or-treaters of all ages. Let your imagination run wild with ingredients for your witch’s brew potion.
Toothy Grin Pumpkin
Carve a menacing mouth filled with pointy teeth to create this fun pumpkin that looks like it wants to take a bite out of trick-or-treaters. Use a teeth template if you want uniform teeth or draw them freehand for a more jagged look. Go the extra mile by adding a moving mechanism to make the mouth open and close.
Place a flickering candle inside the grinning mouth so the teeth appear to dance in the candlelight. This pumpkin is sure to give your neighbors a fright – in the best possible way.
Modern Cat Pumpkin
For the trendsetter on your block, try your hand at carving a contemporary cat face onto a pumpkin. Use triangle shapes for the ears and carefully carve the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth. Clean lines are key. Light up the jack-o-lantern from the inside to make those modern features pop.
Place your contemporary cat pumpkin on the porch steps or in a prominent place in your front yard. Its modern vibe contrasts nicely with typical Halloween décor for a truly unique treat. Your neighbors will be stopping by to ask you how you created this hip Halloween decoration.
Skull Pumpkin
Carve a skull and crossbones into a pumpkin for a spooky and dramatic jack-o’-lantern perfect for Halloween. Outline the skull in black with paint or marker so it shows up vividly against the pumpkin’s orange skin. Use a tool like a clay loop to scoop out the inside of the pumpkin, revealing the flickering candle within.
Place your skull pumpkin along a pathway to greet trick-or-treaters or use a few along the driveway leading up to your front door. The skulls’ hollow eyes will add a delightfully creepy vibe.
Ceramic-Inspired Pumpkins
These creative carved pumpkins emulate vintage ceramic pumpkins for a nostalgic Halloween vibe with their curly stems and imperfect smiles. Use paint to create “crackled” details along the exterior of faux ceramic pumpkins. Carve zig-zag or triangle shaped mouths and paint the lips black.
Scatter a few ceramic-inspired pumpkins down an outdoor stairway or around the base of a tree with fall leaves. Their sweet smiles will impart old-fashioned charm.
Pineapple Pumpkin
Welcome guests to a tropical Halloween celebration with a carved pineapple pumpkin. Start by painting your pumpkin yellow. Next, carve triangular sections, similar to pineapple skin. Create leaves from green foam or felt to place on top.
Use your carved pineapple pumpkin as part of an overall luau theme. Scatter carved palm trees, tiki torches, and leis for a festive island mood. The smiling pineapple makes a particularly nice centerpiece when filled with gummy candies.
RV Pumpkin
An RV pumpkin makes for a cute and creative carved pumpkin perfect for display in front of your house. Use paint to create the camper’s exterior including panel lines and windows on your pumpkin. Carve out triangle and square shapes for extra dimension.
Place your carved RV pumpkin near your front door step or along the walkway leading up to your home. Creating an entire roadside scene complete with other carved vehicle pumpkins takes this idea to the next level for Halloween night.
Black Spray-Painted Pumpkin
Spray paint provides an easy shortcut for getting creative with pumpkins. Cover your whole pumpkin with black spray paint and use a carving knife or small saw to cut shapes revealing the orange interior.
Some ideas include carving out the silhouette of a cat, bat, or haunted house. The pops of bright orange against the black exterior create dramatic results. Place several spray-painted pumpkins together for a coordinating macabre display.
Cute Cat Pumpkin
Carve an adorable kitty cat face into a pumpkin with triangle ears, round eyes and a tiny nose for a sweet rather than scary jack-o’-lantern. Use black paint or marker to add whiskers and details. For extra dimension, carve eyelids over the round eye shapes.
Your cute cat pumpkin makes a great decoration for a kids’ Halloween party or as part of a pumpkin lineup that shows spooky and silly expressions. Place it on your porch amongst more frightening pumpkins for an element of surprise.
Impaled Fence Pumpkins
Construct a fake fence from wood or PVC pipes and “impale” pumpkins onto the posts for a fun and dramatic display. Carve holes into mini pumpkins so they can slide perfectly onto fence posts. You can impale pumpkins through their mouths, heads or entire bodies.
Arrange your impaled pumpkin fence along a pathway or bordering your front yard. The seemingly haphazard placement of pumpkins creates an exciting and gruesome scene, perfect for scaring trick-or-treaters.
Scared Pumpkin
Show a range of emotions by carving pumpkins with different facial expressions. This scared pumpkin’s eyes are wide and mouth open, seemingly caught mid-scream. Use paint to add shading and deepen facial features. Place an LED light inside the mouth for added glow.
Display your scared pumpkin with other carved pumpkins bearing different expressions like happy, sad or angry. Challenge kids to identify all the emotions represented. They’ll get a kick out of the scary pumpkin’s panicked look as Halloween night creeps up.
Be Kind Pumpkin
Inspire more treats than tricks this Halloween by carving an encouraging message like “Be Kind” or “Play Nice” into a smiley faced pumpkin. Use triangle eyes, a nose and a wide smile. Write letters large enough to read from a distance or incorporate them into the smiling mouth.
Place your friendly Be Kind pumpkin amongst other carved pumpkins or display it alone on a bale of hay by your front door. The happy expression and positive message set it apart from typical frightening jack-o’-lanterns.
Mickey Mouse Pumpkin
Delight trick-or-treaters young and old with a classic Mickey Mouse pumpkin carved from traditional shapes. Use a single tall, rounded shape for the head and add two small circles with spokes at the bottom for ears. Keep facial features simple with a curved smile and dot eyes and nose.
Fans of Disney will appreciate this carved tribute to one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time. Place your Mickey Mouse pumpkin on your porch or front steps and watch children’s eyes light up in delight Halloween night.
Thorny Pumpkin
Transform an ordinary pumpkin into a creepy creation by gluing strips of black craft foam all over the exterior to emulate spikes and thorns. Cut strips that are long and thin or short and fat. Cover as much of the exterior as desired.
Light up your thorny pumpkin from the inside to create fun shadows along walkways and steps. The thorns’ unpredictable pattern appears extra creepy when paired with the carved pumpkin’s glowing grin.
Baby Yoda Pumpkin
Pay tribute to everyone’s favorite character from “The Mandalorian” with a Baby Yoda jack-o’-lantern. Carve the basic shape of the cute alien’s unique head, large eyes and pointy ears. Use green paint for details like wrinkles and his coat.
Fans of the Disney Plus Star Wars series will do a double take when they see Baby Yoda amongst your Halloween decorations. This popular character’s sweet smiling presence makes him a welcome addition to any festive pumpkin lineup.
Instagram Pumpkin
An Instagram pumpkin combines a carefully designed facial expression with the signature square photo prop, making it ideal for social sharing. First carve your pumpkin’s face, keeping lines and details crisp so they photograph clearly.
Next, cut a square opening into the front and place a small block of wood carved into a bright orange square at the back to emulate Instagram’s photo icon. This creative design is sure to earn lots of likes!
Cottage Pumpkin
There’s nothing sinister about this cozy carved cottage pumpkin, lit up from within and embellished to look like a miniature home. Cut basic shapes for windows and a door, then surround them with wooden trim. Affix a small roof and front stoop too.
Place a tealight candle inside to make your cottage pumpkin glow invitingly. Set it on your porch surrounded by tiny woodland figurines for added storybook charm. It’s an endearing alternative to scary jack-o’-lanterns.
Eyeball Pumpkin
Sink your carving tools into this gruesome-yet-goofy eyeball pumpkin that’s sure to provide some Halloween amusement. Carefully carve a round pumpkin into a realistic looking eye shape complete with veins and bursts of red paint for blood.
For extra dimension, carve a second pumpkin into an eyelid shape and prop it open with sticks. The result is fabulously freaky. Position your eyeball sculpture in bushes where just the eye is peering out or display it solo on the porch.
Puking Pumpkin
While rather stomach turning, this puking pumpkin prank adds some raunchy Halloween hijinks. Carve your pumpkin’s head tilted forward with its mouth wide open. Scoop out pumpkin guts into a colorful pile that appears to be spilling out of its mouth.
Hide your vomiting pumpkin behind tombstones in your graveyard display or set it up on your porch to surprise trick-or-treaters. The messy scene and sickly expression will have guests groaning in disgust.
Zombie Pumpkin
A zombie pumpkin begins with gory details painted or carved all over the exterior. Think flesh falling off revealing inner pumpkin meat and openings depicting missing limbs and tattered clothing. Sharpen edges of cuts for added dimension.
Light up your zombie pumpkin from the inside so its one remaining eye glows eerily. Bits of stuffing falling out of holes mimic loose skin and brains falling out for deliciously disgusting effect. Place next to other zombie décor for a truly terrifying Halloween vignette.
Googly Eye Pumpkin
Turn ordinary mini pumpkins from your local patch into a family of silly characters with the addition of googly eyes. Use craft glue to affix the eyed directly to clean, dry pumpkins – no carving required. Create smiles, frowns and other expressions using permanent marker.
Arrange your goofy googly eyed pumpkins on the porch, along the driveway, peeking out of flower pots or scattered about the yard. Their wonky faces add a touch of whimsy to Halloween while requiring minimal skill to create.
Mad Cat Pumpkin
This furious feline jack-o’-lantern bares its teeth and claws for the ultimate scary cat pumpkin that will make trick-or-treaters cower. Carve triangular ears folded back in anger and a mouth curled into a sinister sneer to mimic an enraged cat’s expression.
Paint on whiskers, a pink nose, and crazy eyes with black slit pupils. Place your mad cat pumpkin in a prominent place it appears to be angrily guarding its territory on All Hallow’s Eve. The lifelike result is simply hair-raising.
Pumpkin Vase
Transform a tall, oval pumpkin into a doubly useful Halloween decoration and fall container by carving an opening just large enough to hold a small floral bouquet. Cut a hole in the bottom so water can pool at the base as the flowers drink.
Set your carved pumpkin vase outside and arrange orange roses, mini gourds, curled willow branches or other seasonal stems. The natural elements contrast beautifully with the pumpkin’s carved grin. When flowers fade, add a candle for an illuminated jack-o’-lantern.
Heart Eyes Pumpkin
Create a sweet, loving pumpkin sure to capture hearts instead of inspiring horror by carving a smiley face with big heart shapes for eyes. Follow a basic face template carving rounded triangle eyes and using red paint, transform them into hearts. For extra allure, add long eyelashes too.
Display your heart eyes pumpkin on your porch swing or front steps amidst a bed of autumn leaves and Indian corn. The happy, loving expression contrasts with scary jack-o’-lanterns for added outdoor decor variety on All Hallow’s Eve.
Evil Tree Trunk Pumpkin
This carved pumpkin centerpiece starts with a faux birch log, transformed into an evil entity thanks to a ghoulish face and hand emerging from a hole within. Carve a round opening in your “log” that’s just large enough to cradle a mini pumpkin inside.
Carve evil eyes, nose and a mouth baring teeth into the mini pumpkin along with a hand reaching out for helpless trick-or-treaters. Surround with fall leaves and branches for an artful but spooky decorative accent.
Tiny Colorful Pumpkins
Tiny pumpkins in an array of colors like white, green and pale yellow become doubly cute when decorated with simple carved faces. Use a sharp knife to cut shallow triangle eyes and small zig-zag mouths into mini pumpkins’ exteriors instead of traditional deeper carvings.
Arrange your tiny tribe of carved pumpkins together in one place or scatter them throughout flower beds and landscaping for pops of bright color. Their sweet little smiles provide just a touch of Halloween flair.
Tinker Bell Pumpkin
This charming pumpkin brings the magic of Disney’s beloved fairy Tinker Bell to Halloween with some easy paint details. Carve the basic smiley face shape adding pixie dust trailing from behind. Paint the pumpkin green and accents of bright yellow.
Cut a small hole at the top to hold a string of twinkle lights that emulate Tinker Bell’s fluttering magic. Place your Tinker Bell pumpkin on a garden post or tree branch so she appears to be flying on All Hallow’s Eve spreading joy and wonder.
Hungry Pumpkin
Carve a funny face featuring enormous choppers to create this ravenous pumpkin ready to devour the candy stashes of unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. Exaggerate the size of teeth angling them to mimic an open, hungry mouth. For added personality, add googly eyes.
Let your hungry pumpkin stand guard by your front door on Halloween, deterring candy thieves or use it as part of an outdoor buffet tableau surrounded by scrumptious looking stacked treats. Either way, its silly grin adds lightheartedness.
Witch Hat Pumpkin
Perch a mini witch hat atop a smiling jack-o’-lantern carved with a high forehead to create this simple yet bewitching pumpkin perfect for Halloween. Cut a wide round opening at the pumpkin’s top so a small, angled hat can securely nestle inside.
Paint or purchase a black, cone-shaped witch’s hat, hot glue ribbon around the base if desired. Place it onto your carved pumpkin, securing with hot glue if necessary before lighting a candle from within. Display your witch hat pumpkin on steps or in flower beds.
Haunted House Pumpkin
This elaborately carved haunted house pumpkin makes a spooky statement. Start by painting the pumpkin black. Next, use carving tools to create windows, shudders, columns, and other architectural accents. Soften edges with sandpaper after carving.
Place a light inside your pumpkin to make the haunted house details really pop. If desired, construct a mini yard to surround your house adding gravestones, trees and creepy crawlies. Your carved creation makes the ultimate Halloween centerpiece for mantels or table tops.
Stencil Carving Pumpkin
Take the guesswork out of jack-o’-lantern carving with the help of inexpensive plastic pumpkin carving stencils. Trace facial features and holiday icons like ghosts, witches or haunted houses onto your gourd. Use sharp tools to cleanly cut shapes through the exterior rind.
Stencil carving allows you to easily replicate the same designs on multiple pumpkins for a coordinated Halloween display. It also enables beginners and kids the ability to carve intricate motifs they might not be able to draw free-hand. The results impress every time!
Trick or Treat Pumpkin
Inspire generosity this Halloween with a “Trick or Treat” carved sentiment pumpkin accompanied by a mini pail to emphasise the point. Carefully cut letters or consider incorporating them into the jack-o’-lantern’s toothy grin.
Place a small metal pail by the words, ready to be filled with candy by generous trick-or-treaters. Set the composition by your front door, on porch railing or steps. The cute sentiment pumpkin spurs extra excitement on All Hallow’s Eve.
The Death Star Pumpkin
Delight “Star Wars” fans young and old with this intricately carved Death Star pumpkin, ready for an attack from the rebel forces. Meticulously cut panels, craters and crevices into your pumpkin’s surface to emulate the legendary space vehicle’s structure.
Illuminate your carved Death Star pumpkin from within so portals and opening glow, mimicking lights across the battle station. Stage an epic extraterrestrial battle by displaying with X-Wing and TIE fighter carved pumpkins and other “Star Wars” decorations.
Polka Dot Pumpkin
Poke or carve different sized rounds all around a pumpkin’s exterior for this fun polka dot motif perfect for Halloween or fall decorating. Create dots in regimental rows or scatter them about randomly in large and small sizes.
Paint some of your carved circles different colors or add numbers. The polka dot pumpkin livens up porch steps or completes your autumnal decor display. Group a few together for even more graphic pop.
Hanging Bats Pumpkin
Suspending rubber bats from an oval opening cut into the front of a smiley faced pumpkin creates a swarm of creepy creatures perfect for Halloween. Use black craft foam to carve wing shapes around the carved hole.
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‘Stranger Things’ Pumpkin
Fans of the hit Netflix series will delight in this Demogorgon pumpkin, depicting the monstrous creature from the Upside Down. Use red paint to create the large open mouth ringed by sinister teeth. Add claws emerging from the sides grasping at invisible prey.
Illuminate your carved “Stranger Things” pumpkin so it appears to emerge from the darkness when trick-or-treaters approach. Place amongst white Christmas lights strung through fake cobwebs to complete the eerie scene straight from the show.
Emoji Ghost Pumpkin
This cheerful ghost pumpkin incorporates the smiling emoji icon that’s become ubiquitous in digital messaging into a friendly, carved design. Carefully cut the circle emoji shape into your pumpkin’s face, retaining the curved smile.
Add triangle eye shapes and a rounded head to finish your emoji ghost pumpkin. Display it on your front stoop to put a cute, modern twist on classic Halloween décor that will make people smile, not shudder.
Ice Bucket Pumpkin
Transform a plastic pumpkin ice bucket into a unique Halloween decoration by simply flipping it over and carving the base into a jack-o’-lantern face. Scrape away bits of the plastic to form eyes, nose and a mouth. Pop in a votive.
Spike your existing Halloween decor by nestling your carved ice bucket pumpkin in flower pots, hiding it behind tombstones in a graveyard display or using it as a table centerpiece surrounded by gourds and leaves.
‘Frozen’ Pumpkin
Delight kids with a beautifully carved magical Elsa pumpkin featuring the ice queen’s signature braid, blue dress, and sparkly snowflake accents. Create curled braids out of thin wood or clay for affixing to the sides. Add blue raffia or glitter paint.
Your carved “Frozen” pumpkin makes the perfect partner to a traditional smiling Olaf snowman pumpkin. Stage them together on the porch or steps so fans of the Disney film feel part of the movie magic this Halloween.
Tiered Pumpkin
Pumpkins stacked two or three high make a fun variation on the typical solo jack-o’-lantern. Choose pumpkins in graduated sizes and carve faces into all surfaces facing outwards. Hollow out backs completely so light shines through each one.
Show off your carved, stacked pumpkins on entry columns or lining outdoor stair railings. The gradually increasing sizes add great dimension while the different faces communicate together, telling seasonal stories.
Stylish Halloween Ideas
Take your pumpkin carving up a notch this year with these creative ideas that transform basic gourds into scary, silly and downright stylish decorations. Paint, carve, embellish and display pumpkins in unexpected ways to excite trick-or-treaters of all ages.
Let your imagination run wild and don’t be afraid to combine designs or add original touches. The resulting jack-o’-lanterns are sure to be a hit.
