So I have a confession to make — I don’t really enjoy carving pumpkins. And I have a feeling I’m not alone in that confession! Don’t get me wrong — I love seeing what people do with them and have dutifully taken part in the tradition with my daughter for the past 13 years.
But no worries; there are other options out there to save the day. Just Google “no-carve pumpkin ideas” and you will find lots of inspiration. I’ve seen pumpkins that are simply painted and they looked quite striking. Consider an unusual color like bright blue. Or use chalkboard paint that creates a matte black look. Leave as is or, you guessed it, apply chalk!
Another easy approach — apply stickers and decals, or glue objects to the pumpkin. Try wrapping it or covering it in duct tape.
Or, like the cactus we made pictured here, do something that’s not necessarily related to Halloween but is really creative. After many years of taking the traditional route, this is the direction our family has taken with pumpkins, as well as Easter eggs.
And for the zero effort approach, hit your local farm stand and see what Mother Nature has to offer. There are so many awesome and unusual gourds and pumpkins to choose from that I walk right past the pile of orange pumpkins. Consider an unusual color like white or blue gray, or a really bumpy, warty gourd. One of my favorites? The peanut pumpkin, which literally looks like it’s covered in peanuts. See the pic below for this year’s best find!
