We’re Living for Pumpkin Carving Season and These 25+ Ideas Are Unmatched

Ready to make your pumpkin carving game absolutely unhinged this year? These ideas are about to become your entire October personality.

Pumpkin carving of haunted house scene with trees and glowing windows.

Look, we all start with good intentions. Pinterest board loaded, tools ready, that perfect pumpkin sitting pretty on the counter. Then reality hits and suddenly you’re covered in pumpkin guts wondering why your “easy” design looks like it needs an exorcism.

But this year? Different story.

Whether you’re team “meticulously planned masterpiece” or “chaotic carved at midnight,” these pumpkin carving ideas are about to turn you into the Michelangelo of gourds. We’re talking designs that’ll have your neighbors stopping mid-trick-or-treat to snap pics.

From adorably spooky to straight-up terrifying (and everything in between), get ready to create something that actually lives up to your vision board.

The Porch Protector

Scary jack-o'-lantern pumpkin carving with sharp teeth

This guy’s basically standing guard for your candy stash. The jagged teeth and slanted glare make it look like he’s seconds away from lunging. Add a flickering LED to make that stare even more intense.

Braces, But Make It Festive

Pumpkin carving with soda can tab braces and a big smile.

Because who says orthodontics can’t join the party? Soda tab brackets plus a wide yellow grin make this one equal parts creepy and hilarious. Bonus points if you add a little pumpkin “headgear.”

Arachnophobia Alert

Pumpkin carving with white pumpkin eyes and plastic spiders.

White pumpkin “eyes” staring wide, black spiders mid-crawl, and that gaping “oh no” mouth—it’s a whole Halloween nightmare in one gourd. Glue the spiders in place for maximum creepy-crawly drama.

Tongue-Out Chaos

Pumpkin carving with buck teeth and a tongue sticking out.

If pumpkins could photobomb, it’d look like this. Buck teeth, cartoon brows, and a tongue sticking out like it’s mocking the rest of the display. Paint the tongue red for extra sass.

The Leg Chomper

Pumpkin carving biting a fake leg with a black bird on top.

Carve a wide, jagged grin and stick in a fake leg or pants-filled prop—instant Halloween spectacle. Add a fake crow or rat on top for a little extra “ew.”

Starry-Eyed Sweetheart

Pumpkin carving with star, moon, and triangle nose glowing.

For a cute-not-creepy vibe, carve a star, crescent moon, and triangle nose into a happy face. Pop a candle inside and let it glow with soft, whimsical charm.

Starry Night Cat

Black painted pumpkin carved with cat silhouette under a starry sky.

Source: @knzr.art

Paint your pumpkin midnight black, then carve a cat silhouette under a starlit sky. The tiny speckles and moon glow make it feel straight out of a cozy Halloween storybook.

Pumpkin House Party

Carved pumpkin house with mini pumpkin inside and painted white ghost pumpkin outside.

Source: @odlibby

Picture a tiny pumpkin beaming from inside its own gourd “house,” with a ghostly white neighbor hanging out on the porch. It’s the friendliest Halloween street you’ll ever carve.

Spider-Man Jack

Pumpkin carved with Spider-Man web design and eye cutouts.

Swap scary for superhero by carving Spidey’s iconic web pattern into your pumpkin. It’s instantly recognizable—and honestly, Peter Parker would totally approve.

Luke’s Diner Special

Forget spooky, this one’s for the Gilmore Girls fans. Carve the Luke’s logo, pop in a warm glow, and suddenly you’re in Stars Hollow sipping coffee with Lorelai.

Toothpick Terror

Pumpkin with jagged carved eyes and mouth filled with toothpicks as teeth.

Think you can handle the patience? Fill a carved pumpkin’s mouth with rows of toothpicks for a gnarly, sharp-toothed grin. Bonus points if you light it up for extra menace.

Folklore Magic

Pumpkin carved with folklore lettering and star accents glowing.

Taylor Swift fans, this one’s yours. Carve “folklore” into your pumpkin, then sprinkle star shapes around it for dreamy, album-cover vibes. Add fairy lights for extra enchantment.

The Boy Who Lived… in a Pumpkin

Pumpkin carved with Harry Potter glasses and lightning scar design.

Yes, that’s Harry Potter’s face, lightning bolt scar, glasses, and all, glowing right out of a pumpkin. Hogwarts admissions office, please confirm if this counts as magical aptitude.

Cat’s Out of the Gourd

Pumpkin carved as cat face with glowing eyes and bat accents.

Source: @harrowellssolicitors

For a cute twist, carve your jack-o’-lantern to look like a cat face—whiskers, pointed ears, and all. A couple of bat cutouts on top turn it into instant Halloween charm.

Put a Ring on It

Pumpkin carving of interlocking wedding rings with a glowing diamond.

Newly engaged? Celebrate with interlocking bands and a faceted “diamond.” Trace round lids for clean circles, then lightly etch the gem’s facets so they glow without cutting all the way through.

Sea Turtle Cutie

Pumpkin carving sea turtle with carved shell and googly eyes.

Source: @zeus_torres_17

Not into scary? Build a turtle instead. Use one pumpkin for the shell, sliced wedges for flippers, and peel pathways to outline the scutes. Googly eyes make it delightfully kid‑friendly.

Piranha Bite Vibes

Pumpkin carving with sharp triangle teeth and red-tipped accents.

Source: @iamcliffhanger

This mouth looks ready to chomp, two rows of carved triangle teeth with tiny red paint “bites” at the tips. Keep the inner lip thin so the light hits those fangs dramatically.

Pup Portrait Lantern

Pumpkin carving portrait of a dog face glowing from inside.

Source: @thefluffyschnauzer

Turn your dog into a glowing cameo. Print a photo, trace it onto the pumpkin, then shallow‑carve the fur so the light creates depth. It’s spooky-cute and incredibly personal.

Cottage-Core Pumpkin

Pumpkin carving cottage with door, windows, steps, and flower boxes.

Source: @nydamprints

Try to stop at one detail, I dare you. Window shutters, tiny steps, even mini flower boxes with dried blooms… before you know it, you’ve built a whole pumpkin cottage.

Friendly Ghost (Zero Stress)

Simple pumpkin carving with large glowing ghost silhouette.

Source: @a.spoonful.of.vicki

Hate fussy carving? Outline one big ghost and scoop the wall thinner behind it for a brighter glow. It’s fast, beginner‑friendly, and still reads perfectly from the sidewalk.

Billy Bob Bo “Bumpkin”

Funny pumpkin carving with hat, dangling eyes, and seeds spilling.

Source: @harrellsllc

Meet the county‑fair champ: straw hat, googly eyes on springs, and seeds spilling like he laughed too hard. It’s chaotic, ridiculous, and guaranteed to win your office contest.

Under the Sea Glow

Pumpkin carving of mermaid silhouette glowing with light.

Source: @wendiredman

Channel your inner mermaid with a silhouette carving, think flowing hair and a rock perch. Use a blue LED inside for an underwater glow that feels pure movie magic.

Peek-a-Boo Kitty

Pumpkin carving of glowing cat face with carved whiskers and ears.

This little guy looks like he’s mid-prowl, glowing eyes and all, ready to pounce on the candy bowl. Add whiskers with toothpicks for bonus detail, they catch the light beautifully.

Stem-Nosed Charmer

Pumpkin carving using stem as nose with one eye winking and big grin.

Source: @eebooalwaysgood

Why carve a nose when you can just… use the stem? A wink on one side, cheeky grin on the other, it’s like your pumpkin knows a secret it’s not sharing.

Duo of Doom

Two carved pumpkins with jagged and stitched expressions among fall leaves.

Source: @salted_pepper

One jagged grin, one stitched-up scow, lthese two pumpkins sitting in a bed of autumn leaves look like they’re plotting trouble. Keep them close together for that partner-in-crime vibe.

Haunted House Glow-Up

Source: @hallowlane

Carve a classic haunted house silhouette — crooked windows, twisted trees — then thin the pumpkin wall behind it so the whole scene glows evenly. Instant front-porch drama.

Pumpkin Jailbreak

Pumpkin carving of small pumpkin inside larger pumpkin carved like jail bars

Someone call the gourd guard, this tiny pumpkin is trapped behind carved bars in its big sibling. Give it a scared face for extra giggles (and maybe a dramatic rescue later).

Moonlight Meow

Pumpkin carving of cat silhouette against glowing round background.

Think “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” meets cottagecore, a simple cat silhouette framed by a glowing moon. Switch your candle for a warm white LED to nail that soft, magical vibe.

Grin and Scare It

Pumpkin carving with oversized grin and large, rounded eyes.

Source: @davisstudiovt

Carve the widest grin you can manage, then exaggerate the eyes until they’re cartoon-big. I dare you not to smile back every time you pass it; it’s impossible.

Your pumpkin masterpiece is waiting to happen. Grab those tools, pick your favorite design (or three), and get ready to absolutely own this spooky season.

Trust me, once you nail that first carving and see it glowing on your porch? You’ll be planning next year’s pumpkin patch raid before Halloween even hits.