Safe Ways to Light Your Jack-O’-Lantern This Halloween

If you want to show off the design you carved into a jack-o’-lantern, lighting your pumpkin up will make it really stand out at night. Even if you don’t have any candles for your pumpkin, there are a ton of other alternatives to make your design shine bright. Keep reading for some of the best lighting options you can use and to learn how to keep your pumpkin looking fresh until Halloween!

Best Ways to Light a Halloween Pumpkin

For a traditional look, use battery-powered flameless candles, glow sticks, flashlights, LED strips, fairy lights, or strobe lights to light your pumpkin. While you can use votive candles or tea lights, they are less safe and could become a fire risk if they’re knocked over.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Light a Jack-o’-Lantern

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Flameless candles If you don’t want to risk having an open flame in your pumpkin, flameless candles use batteries and flicker just like the real deal. Switch the power on, and set the candle inside of your pumpkin. Unlike a real candle, it’s safe to leave a flameless candle unattended all night long.
- Some flameless candles have remotes that allow you to change the color or the light’s flicker speed.
If you want to light up your pumpkin with a neon color, then glow sticks are the perfect alternative. Bend the glow stick and shake it to light it up before dropping it inside your pumpkin. The glow stick will last through the night, but you may need to use a new one each day.

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For a really simple lighting solution, turn on a flashlight and set it inside of your pumpkin. Point the light at the back of the pumpkin so the light reflects and makes your design more visible.
Take a bundle of fairy lights and stuff them into a glass jar or clear container. Then, set the container inside of your pumpkin. The fairy lights will twinkle and add a subtle glow inside of your pumpkin.
Take out any Christmas lights you have for the holiday season, and reuse them this Halloween. Place a coil of string lights directly inside the pumpkin, or drill small holes in the pumpkin to stick individual lights into.
Puck lights are large and really bright, so they’re perfect for placing on the bottom of a carved pumpkin. Puck lights usually have a switch on the bottom, or you may have to press directly on the light to turn it on.
Light strips have multiple small LEDs on them, and you can trim them down to whatever size you need. Many LED strips have remotes or mobile apps so you can control their color, brightness, and effects without having to get up.
Beacon lights have spinning reflectors inside of them that make the light bounce in different directions. Set the beacon inside of your pumpkin and turn it on. The light will look bright when it shines through your design, but will dim as it spins around.
Strobe lights quickly flash on and off, and can make the design on your jack-o’-lantern pop even more. Use a slow flash speed if you want your pumpkin lit up every few seconds, or set a shorter time to give the light a jittery effect.
Motion-activated lights are a good option if you want to scare guests or trick-or-treaters when they walk by. When someone gets close to your pumpkin, the light will suddenly turn on and reveal the design you carved.
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Remote control pumpkin lights If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of lighting your pumpkin each time or switching it off by hand, look for a light that comes with a remote control. That way, you can sit inside and light your pumpkin without having to get up!^{[1]
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- Many remote-controlled lights come with additional features, like different colors or flashing light patterns.
- If you see trick-or-treaters coming to your home, use your remote to turn on the pumpkin when they get close to give them a little scare.
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Candles While using candles is the traditional way to light a Halloween pumpkin, it’s a bit more dangerous than battery-powered lights because they could get blown out by the wind or start a fire. Stick to tea lights or votive candles that have small flames so they’re less of a fire risk.^{[2]
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Expert Interview} Set the candles inside of the pumpkin first and use a long-necked utility lighter to reach inside.
- Make sure your pumpkin has a flat sturdy base and avoid placing it anywhere it could easily be kicked or knocked over.^{[3]
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- If you use a candle, monitor your pumpkin the entire time it’s lit to make sure the flame doesn’t spread. If you have to leave, blow out the candle.

Section 2 of 5:

Is it safe to leave a candle in a pumpkin?

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Clear dry leaves, dead grass, or other flammable materials away from the pumpkin, and be cautious of keeping other Halloween decorations nearby. Whenever you go inside or leave, be sure to blow out the candle to get rid of any fire risks.

Section 3 of 5:

Are pumpkins flammable?

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A pumpkin is only flammable once it dries out. When you first carve your pumpkin, the skin has enough moisture to prevent it from catching on fire. As it sits out longer, it dries up and becomes more of a fire risk.
- Your pumpkin may also catch on fire if you use a tall candle where the flame touches the top.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Make Carved Pumpkins Last Longer

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Apply petroleum jelly to the exposed areas. Scoop a dab of petroleum jelly with your fingers or the corner of a paper towel, and rub it into the carved sections of the pumpkin. The petroleum jelly creates a barrier that traps moisture so your pumpkin doesn’t dry out as quickly.^{[4]
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- Petroleum jelly is flammable, so avoid using actual candles or open flames to light your pumpkin.
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Spray the pumpkin with a bleach solution daily. Use a ratio of 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of bleach for every 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Put the solution into a spray bottle, and spritz the inside and carved edges of your pumpkin. The bleach kills any bacteria and stops mold from forming. Let the solution dry completely, and reapply it once a day.^{[5]
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- You can also soak your pumpkin in the bleach solution to completely disinfect it. Dip the pumpkin in a bucket of bleach solution for 2 minutes and let it air-dry afterwards.
Warm temperatures will only make your pumpkin start to rot, so help it cool down at night. Wrap your pumpkin in a large garbage bag and set it inside your fridge each night. The cool air in the fridge will help stop your pumpkin from drying out.^{[6]
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Place fruit fly traps near your pumpkin. Fruit flies are attracted to the smell of pumpkins, so you’ll typically see a few around your jack-o’-lantern. Keep commercial traps like sticky tape or lures next to your pumpkin to get rid of the flies.^{[7]
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- Alternatively. make your own fly traps by putting a little apple cider vinegar and dish soap in the bottom of a jar. Cover the jar with plastic wrap or a lid and poke small holes in it. The flies will go into the jar, but they won’t be able to get back out.^{[8]
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Fill a large container with cold water, and set your carved pumpkin inside. Leave your pumpkin overnight so it has a chance to rehydrate. Pat your pumpkin completely dry before putting it back out on display.^{[9]
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Section 5 of 5:

Halloween Pumpkin Lighting FAQs

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Do you leave the top on a pumpkin when it’s lit? Yes, leaving the lid on top of your jack-o’-lantern will trap the light and make your pumpkin look brighter. If you’re using an actual candle, cut a small notch out the lid to make a chimney hole that allows heat and smoke to escape.
- The chimney hole helps preserve your pumpkin and prevent it from rotting quickly.
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How do you make a jack-o’-lantern shine brighter? Add a few extra lights inside of your pumpkin. If you have a larger pumpkin, a single light may not be enough to light up the entire design. Feel free to experiment with a few different combinations of lights to see what you like best.
- Alternatively, line the inside of your jack-o’-lantern with aluminum foil except for the carved areas. The light will reflect off the metal and make your design pop more.
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Why do we light pumpkins on Halloween? Lighting pumpkins originally started as an Irish myth to ward off spirits from their home. Originally, people carved faces into turnips or beets and displayed them in their windows. When people came to America, people began carving pumpkins instead.^{[10]
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- Halloween came from the ancient Celtic ritual Samhain that celebrated the shift from summer to winter, and people believed spirits could come back while it occurred. People carved pumpkins and other vegetables to help protect their homes from these spirits.^{[11]
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Can pumpkins catch on fire if a lighted candle is inside them?

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No, pumpkins are not flammable.

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What light sources can I use to light up a pumpkin?

Chantel

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You can use a candle, a light bulbs, a small lantern or fairy lights.

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Are there any other things I can put inside a pumpkin instead of a candle?

Chantel

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You can use fairy lights, a very small lantern, or you can use a globe to make light.

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Even if you decorated your pumpkins without carving them, putting a few flickering lights around them can add a spookier look.

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Rub cinnamon or nutmeg inside of your pumpkin. When you light it with a candle, it will release a delicious pumpkin pie smell.

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When you’re choosing a pumpkin to carve, make sure it has firm skin without any soft spots to ensure it lasts the longest.

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Warnings

Never leave a burning candle unattended. If you have to leave, blow the candle out before you go.

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Clear any dead leaves or dried grass from the area if you’re using a candle to prevent a larger fire.

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