When you think of Fall, you think of Halloween. And when you think of Halloween, it's impossible not to think of carving pumpkins into spooky jack-o-lanterns! Carving pumpkins is a great Halloween activity for the whole family, even if your creation isn't exactly a masterpiece! However, the following easy tips and tricks may help the pumpkin carving process go a little smoothly.

1. Pick your perfect pumpkin! The ideal pumpkin will have a thick green(ish) stem. This indicates that it is fresh, hasn’t been mishandled, and it will be well-suited for carving easily. Also make sure that the bottom is flat so it doesn’t roll around and that there is no bruising.

2. Don’t carve until at most 3 days before you want to display your jack-o-lantern! As soon as you begin cutting, the pumpkin begins decomposing. Some last for up to 3 weeks, but some only last a couple days.

3. Continuously spray the pumpkin with water while you’re carving! This helps the pumpkin last longer and be more easy to work with.

4. Cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin instead of on the top or bottom. Cutting off the bottom would just create a big mess with liquid oozing out of the bottom, and the vine of the pumpkin at the top is vital to keeping the pumpkin fresh.

5. Scoop everything out of the pumpkin while carving. This also helps your creation last longer because the insides will start to get moldy very fast if you leave them!

6. Sprinkle a little cinnamon inside the pumpkin! When you light the inside of your jack-o-lantern, it will smell like pumpkin pie!