How to Carve a Jack-o'-Lantern

Embrace this very adult activity this month.

Kids may like jack- o’-lanterns, but it’s an adult activity. Maybe there’s something cathartic about running a large gourd through with a knife and then scooping its guts out by hand. Besides, are you really going to hand a sugar-hyped little Johnny a carving knife? Didn’t think so.

Here’s what to do:

• Pick out a pumpkin that sits flat (no tipping over) and ideally has at least one flat-ish side, the better for straight carving lines. Then cut deeply around the stem to create an opening at the top.

• Scoop out all the seeds with a spoon or knife. Save them and roast them on a pan in the oven. Salt and serve as a snack.

• Using a stencil or your own imagination, carve that sucker. We recommend going to extremepumpkins.com for some non-smiling alternatives (like the vomiting pumpkin, pictured.)

• Set a steady, glass- or metal-enclosed candle inside the pumpkin and replace the top. Put it on your porch, checking it often to make sure it hasn’t caught fire or tipped over.

• This is totally optional, but after the holiday, rather than letting the jack o’ lantern rot, take it to an empty field or parking lot and smash it before the neighborhood kids do. Cathartic, see?