25 Easy and Creative Jack-O’-Lantern Ideas to Try

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A classic carved pumpkin with a smiling face is great, but here are 25 ways to get extra creative this Halloween! Which of these jack-o’-lantern ideas will you try?

I still have very clear memories of my pumpkin carving escapades as a kid! Back then, my goal was simple: make the weirdest face possible on the surface of my jack-o’-lantern.

And now? Now I love to see creative jack-o’-lanterns as I cruise around the neighborhood during the Halloween season.

There’s no lack of creativity, and these ideas are sure proof of that! With everything from animals to landscapes and more, these jack-o’-lantern ideas will definitely get your creative concepts flowing.

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Pumpkin Carving vs. No-Carve Pumpkins

There are two camps when it comes to Halloween pumpkins: the carvers and the no-carvers.

What’s a no-carve pumpkin? Simply put, it’s anything you do to decorate a pumpkin without actually having to carve it.

We have a huge batch of no-carve ideas right here!

Usually the no-carve pumpkin folks love taking that route because it avoids the mess of cutting open and cleaning out the pumpkin. It can also be safer, as you don’t need knives, so it’s great for kids to help with.

Here are a few of my favorite no-carve pumpkin ideas for Halloween!

All that being said, the glow of a jack-o’-lantern is so classic and charming, which is why I collected the unique and super creative pumpkin carving ideas below.

Unique Jack-O’-Lantern Ideas

The night sky constellation design looks particularly cool on a darker pumpkin! You could even make up your own constellations, or use your favorite.

If you want to avoid using a knife to make small cuts, try using a drill to make delicate holes in your pumpkins. You can create all kinds of different designs, like this whimsical owl family.

A candy-themed pumpkin is a charming example of how to use a jack o’ lantern theme to create a whole environment! Check out the mini pumpkin window boxes.

Instead of the classic smiling jack-o’-lantern, encourage your kiddos to try some silly pumpkin faces that stretch their creativity. This one utilizes a plastic Easter egg to make eyeballs up high on the stem.

Or don’t make faces at all! I love these botanical designs and how detailed they are. You could create these on faux pumpkins so that you could use them year after year.

Another great use of a drill! Use varying sizes of drill bits to make holes in a pumpkin and create a little mouse house like this one. A few toy mice bring it to life.

Another way to avoid having to slice through thick pumpkin walls is to try the pumpkin etching technique! I think this is so beautiful, especially lit up at night.

Use scraper tools or craft knives to etch and scrape away layers of the pumpkin’s skin, allowing a faint glow to show through the thinner skin. This is also great for detailed designs.

Chances are you’ve seen some variations of the hungry pumpkin, and it’s just too charming not to try! You can also have the larger pumpkin gnawing on a mini pumpkin for maximum cute factor.

I love how this haunted manor combines carving and etching techniques to make varying amounts of light coming through the pumpkin. You could have each family member make one pumpkin and put them all together for a haunted village!

The extra step of adding plants to your jack-o’-lanterns takes them from average to over-the-top fun. Using live plants as hair helps to give them personality and visual interest.

Looking for something simple but with a major payoff? Make a sweet little pumpkin house with a mini pumpkin living inside. The slices of pumpkin that you remove can serve as steps to the front door.

If your child is anything like mine, you’ve found yourself trying to carve a cat pumpkin more than once. And I finally found a tutorial that makes sense and makes it easy.

This is cleverness on full display! Easy to recreate, a pumpkin behind bars is guaranteed to make your trick-or-treaters giggle.

If you live in an area with interesting trees or flowers, try carving a little nod to the landscape! A group of cacti pumpkins is a perfect place to start.

If you’re going classic and want to carve some faces, I found a great resource! Here’s a whole bunch mix and match pumpkin face templates – pick your favorite smile, nose, eyes, and accessories, and combine them.

What a creative place to get cozy! Each individually carved pumpkin comes together to make a pumpkin firepit.

Instead of your standard jack-o’-lantern faces, try playing with scale. Use oversized faces on smaller pumpkins or vice-versa. These come with plenty of templates to help your pumpkin planning!

By stacking pumpkins you can achieve so many elevated jack-o’-lantern ideas! These arms reaching up from the ground bring a particularly spooky feel to a front yard.

Carving a different variety of pumpkin like this cute owl design is an easy way to elevate your usual front porch fare. Use pumpkins with varying colors, interesting shapes, or unusual surfaces.

Suspending your jack o’ lanterns in mid-air is a delightfully unexpected idea! I love that these bats use a few different techniques — etching on the eyes, paint for the surface, the addition of felt for the wings, and a bit of rope to hang one of them upside down.

Silhouettes carved in a pumpkin are always a hit! This easy cat in the window is a great place to start if you’re experimenting with new techniques.

Add interest to your porch decor by carving in a theme! Use a variety of sizes and carve or etch something different on each gourd. Bees in a beehive is a perfect example!

There’s something spooky about these classic silhouettes, without being scary or gory whatsoever! A perfect idea to try, and bonus points if you carve actual silhouettes of your family’s faces.

Adding little toys or animals can amp up a jack o’ lantern’s spooky factor big time! I also love how this one is slightly aged, giving the pumpkin a bit of a withered look.

Lovely Indeed Pumpkin
Lovely Indeed Pumpkin

Last but not least, carving words into a pumpkin makes for a totally satisfying (and impressive) design, especially if you take time to refine the details of the font. We had so much fun a few years back creating this jack o’ lantern version of an old Lovely Indeed logo!