Need a jack-o’-lantern? 6 ways to keep pumpkin carving fun and safe for Halloween
Is carving a pumpkin a part of your family tradition?
Creating a funny face and sticking your hand in those gooey insides may be a fun activity, but it can also turn into an unsafe activity if there’s a cutting mishap.
According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, there were more than 2,700 Halloween-related injuries in 2019 and more than 40% of the injuries were related to pumpkin carving.
That’s why hand therapists at El Paso Physical Therapy Services are sharing safe and fun tips and alternatives to trick out your jack-o-lantern this Halloween season.
Alternative fun activities can include painting the pumpkins or using stickers to make faces. You can also use duct tape or gauze to create designs.
Six tips to keep pumpkin carving fun and safe
Carve pumpkins in a well-lit and dry area: Carving pumpkins outside keeps the mess out of the house, but make sure you set up your carving station in a well-lit area so you can see what you are doing. Also make sure the area, the pumpkin, your hands, and carving tools are dry so there are no unintended slip-ups that could leave you carving more than your pumpkin. The innards of a pumpkin are wet and slimy, so keep drying towels at hand to keep everything clean and dry.
Use a pumpkin carving kit: Leave the big chef knives for the horror movies and use the pumpkin carving kits that are sold in most grocery or convenience stores. The small tools are specially designed for pumpkin carving safety and the serrated pumpkin saws can cut your pumpkin without getting stuck deep in the pumpkin’s skin or your skin. Large chef knives can cut deep and require force to pull out, and that is when many accidents happen.
Carve away from you: As with any knife, cut and carve away from you, not toward you. It also cuts down on the chance for accidents if you use small strokes, almost like an edging. Don’t try to cut all the way through the pumpkin in one stroke.
