1. Make a jack-O’-lantern.
Though Halloween is only a few days away, it’s not too late to make a jack-o’-lantern.
Here are some dos and don’ts to help make yours the best on the block:
When you’re on the hunt for a pumpkin, make sure it has a thick stem. Pumpkins with thick stems usually have thick walls, making them ideal for carving.
Forget making a lid. Carve out the bottom — not the top — to keep moisture inside. It’s also easier to put in a candle from the bottom and not the top, where you might get burned.
Don’t dismiss oddly-shaped pumpkins. Some of the best jack-o’-lanterns come in weird shapes and sizes.
Once you start carving, don’t stop. Pumpkins are perishable, so the decomposition clock is ticking.
Don’t carve your pumpkin with a kitchen knife, which are prone to slip from your hand. Buy specialized tools such as lemon zesters, rasps and ribbon hoops.
More tips at www.mentalfloss.com.
2. Scary? No, thank you.
While there are plenty of haunted houses, dark corn mazes and zombie paintball fights for Halloween, not all of us like a good scare.
Snohomish’s Craven Farm and Stalker (Stocker)Farms offer scare-free corn mazes for day or night. They’re for kids — but adults who hate scary stuff also are welcome. More at www.festivalofpumpkins.org.
3. Trick-or-treat!
Trick-or-treaters are getting ready to ring doorbells. Have you stocked up on their favorite candy?
Americans are expected to spend a whopping $2.6 billion on Halloween candy this year. A Candy Store study figured out the top three most popular Halloween candies in each state.
Saltwater taffy is Washington’s all-time favorite, followed by Tootsie Roll Pops, and then Skittles in third place.
— Evan Thompson, Herald writer
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