I've note grown any pumpkins, but have several Chestnut Squashes - some of which are quite small.

I'm considering using a dinky one and carving Bean his first Halloween punkin.

Deffo! We carved one each year even before we had babies. I'm pretty sure Mr R wouldn't have bothered if it wasn't for me wanting to do it though. I always have a big bowl of goodies for trick or treaters, and I'll make pumpkin muffins or something too.

I know, I know, loads of people don't like Hallowe'en and all the stuff that comes with it, but I think it's quite good fun.

Sheffield has a city centre Fright Night every year, and the whole of the city seems to dress up. It's like being in a B-movie horror film. Some would say it's like that every Saturday night though.

I've grown chestnut squashes, and they're too delicious to carve. I'll be buying one for my grandson and we'll be carving it together on Hallowe'en. We did actually grow a special Hallowe'en pumpkin, he sowed the seed, watered it and watched fascinated as it grew, but 10 days ago our allotment was invaded by idiots (again) and they smashed it (and three of the larger chestnut squashes) with a hammer. The chickens have enjoyed them, but I was bloody furious at the time. Our grandson is only 4, and whilst I hate being dishonest with him, I don't want him to know that the world holds evil people like this in it just yet, so I'm afraid I'm going to lie and pass a bought one off as his own. Last year two girls came to the house playing trick or treat and he really thought that they were witches.
And Rhona is right, I don't know how they tell Fright Night from any other Saturday.

I'm happy to say that I have managed to grow 2 pumpkins (first time ever) at the suggestion of my granddaughter Megan. One is large (not huge mind, about the size of a football) and the other is quite small. We'll be carving both and I have to search the site for the spring thread we had going about pumpkin growing and carving - there's been an awful lot of veg grown since then!!

We're doing ours this weekend, as we're trying something new....

We're carving a Boxer dog into ours, courtesy of some stencils we found online.... not quite sure how it will look though!!

pumpkin-carving-stencils-of-favorite-dogs/ (link)

Yep, we will be carving the least lumpy of the 3 I grew - nice and round and orangy and about 12lb

Think I'll be carving mine with a scalpel this year - largest of the Chestnut Squashes is slightly smaller than a football (I can probably cover it with both my hands).

Now, question is, for an 8 1/2 month old baby do I do smiley, or scarey face?

Well, last year I asked my grandson and he plumped for scary, but for a baby I'd definitely go for smiley, you'll find that one of the first (recognisable) things that he draws will be a smiley face, it seems to be something that young children relate to and recognise at quite a young age, I always carved smileys for Tom, until he was old enough to request the scary one and he loved them. The one I did when he was 18 months old he insisted upon having re-lit every night until he was distracted by Christmas.

Be careful with your blades peoples, whatever you're carving.

Originally Posted by HeyWayne

Be careful with your blades peoples, whatever you're carving.

Oh dear, have you just had an accident??

Originally Posted by Pumpkin Becki

Oh dear, have you just had an accident??

No no. Just doing my public service bit.

Originally Posted by HeyWayne

No no. Just doing my public service bit.

Ahh, I thought you were getting some practice in before the day

No, I don't have enough to practice on. I have to make the one I use count, no slip ups.

My grandson sowed three seeds and we had four pumpkins, sadly one rotted after I picked it, the other three are still ok and his dad will take it to carve next week, he doesnt want his two dogs getting them.

No pressure there then!! I could send you a Crown Prince if you run into trouble.