Pumpkin season is officially upon us. They’re outside grocery stores, people’s homes, and sitting in fields just waiting to be picked. Deciding what to do with your pumpkin is almost as stressful as deciding which one to buy. Here’s a twofold piece of advice: buy as many as you want and then glance at the list below for some pumpkin inspiration.
1. Make a bowl
This one is particularly easy because half the job is already done as long as your pumpkin is round and can stand up on its own. Simply cut a hole in the top and dig the guts out. Once the inside is seed free, fill the pumpkin with your desired filling. Some options include: flowers, mini pumpkins, party favors, apple cider, toasted pumpkin seeds, or candy. The moist inside of the pumpkin adds that extra icky factor for trick-or-treaters.
2. Bird feeder
Anyone who has set their pumpkin on their doorstep knows that squirrels and birds enjoy poking around them. This idea is essentially an open invitation to do just that. Small pumpkins work best, since you’ll be cutting this one in half. After you clean them out use a drill or your strength and create some holes to put twigs in, these will be the perches. Take two pieces of twine, create an X on the bottom of the bowl, and secure it with glue or tacks. Finally, hang it in a tree. The only thing needed now is some bird seeds and of course the birds.
3. Bowling
Why go to a dark slightly sketchy bowling alley when you can play in your own backyard among the beautiful autumn foliage? All you need is lots of small pumpkins, 10 makeshift pins, and some friends. Make sure the area is flat enough or on a hill so the pumpkins actually move when you roll them. Or, if you’re fancy, plywood makes an excellent makeshift lane. If you’re not fancy and you’re playing on grass, empty beer bottles make for good pins.
4. Paperweight
One of the best parts about pumpkin picking is the mini pumpkins and gourds. This idea is particularly genius if you want to make your desk space festive. It’s also pretty self-explanatory, just remember to throw them out before they rot or they will ruin the papers they’re weighing down.
5. Decorate it
Obviously this idea is a given since most people buy pumpkins with the intent to turn them into Jack-O-Lanterns. However, decorating options extend beyond just carving a spooky face. Glue crayons on your pumpkin near the stem and using a hair dryer, melt them. The colors pop spectacularly against white pumpkins. A drill is handy for making unique artistic designs like the night sky or letters. Cookies cutters help create the exact shape desired without all the struggle. And finally paint! This option is best if your apartment doesn’t allow open flames or you don’t want to dig out the innards.
This semester take a break from midterms and get creative with your pumpkins. School loans will haunt you forever but pumpkins only come around once a year!