Apparently in the States, you can tell when you're getting closer to the holidays because Starbucks starts selling pumpkin spiced lattes (heavenly, quoth the white hipster). The other thing you notice, is that all the grocery stores suddenly have an abundance of pumpkins piled up on bales of straw at their entrances.
In S.A. we celebrate Halloween mainly because it's an excuse to get dressed up as something slutty (if you're a teenage girl) and to drink a lot. Or terrorise neighbours in the quest for sugar-laden treats. What we don't do, though, is carve Jack O'Lanterns, mainly because we don't have the right sorts of pumpkins. Imagine my delight when I was invited by a new friend and kickboxing compadre to attend her pumpkin-carving party! An authentic American experience! (I understand the complications of citing this as an 'authentic American experience' - whose America and whose experience? But let's put aside the critical thinking cap for now.)
So, I headed off to Ralph's to choose a pumpkin, and I found a rather fantastic one, the archetypal pumpkin, if you will.
Then I headed to Katie's with Malika and much excitement. We were greeted by Katie's warm grin and absolutely delicious mulled cider (apple cider + lemon + orange + cinnamon + heat + rum = deliciousness + infinite improvement on mulled wine), chocolate cake (sssshhhhh!), a pumpkin carving/painting station and a dozen grinning Jack O'Lanterns! Oh be still, my beating heart! My favourite was this one (and it won the approval of the guests as best pumpkin):
Finally, after some cajoling by M and K, I shyly joined the pumpkin carvers in the pumpkin corner and had at it with much rookie enthusiasm.
It took me ages! It's not as easy as it looks (although Malika makes it look pretty damn easy!). First you have to cut a hole in the top. Don't throw away the top though, you have to keep it and use it as a lid. Then you have to scoop out the insides (yuck, but also fun because it's so squeeeeshy) and THEN you start on the face. I really liked the big, ghoulish ghostie eyes on my favourite pumpkin, so I kept those, but I didn't want to have an entirely unoriginal Jack O'Lantern, so I gave him a zigzag mouth. My pumpkin was a little thick, which made carving it a bit of a challenge, but it was still such fun!
Here's a hyperlapse of Malika carving hers. She was very quick; you can see she's been doing it for years!
Anyway, finally after a little amateur struggle, lo!
What a great evening. Thanks Katie and Malika!
I found this when I was hunting for a title for this post, and it reminded me of home:
From ghoulies and ghosties And long-leggedy beasties And things that go bump in the night, May the good Lord preserve us!
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