DIY Halloween Pumpkin Lighting Ideas
Halloween is this Friday, yet you’re missing one very important element: lighted pumpkins to brighten your doorstep for trick-or-treaters. Of course, you could always go old school and stick tea lights or candles inside toothy jack-o-lanterns, but then you’d have to worry about your lights blowing out or posing fire hazards. Luckily, it’s not too late to be more creative (and safe) with your pumpkins this year. These quick and easy DIY pumpkin lighting ideas will illuminate your stoop without the hassles of traditional candles!
1. LED Pumpkin Luminaires
If you’ve had one or two (okay, five) pumpkin carving mishaps, you may have to admit it might not be your forte. Luckily, creating pumpkin luminaires doesn’t involve the complex knife-work that got you in trouble. Studded with tiny bulbs, LED pumpkin luminaires make brilliant use of outdoor Christmas lights and look far more sophisticated than average jack-o-lanterns. All you need is a pumpkin carving kit (or a sharp knife and spoon), an orange or white LED string light, a pen or permanent marker, and a drill with a thick bit.
First, hollow out your pumpkin. Use a knife to carve a large circular opening into the top of your pumpkin and clean out the inside thoroughly, scooping away the pulp and seeds with a spoon. (We already have ours hollowed out.)
Then, mark a dotted design on your pumpkin in pen or permanent marker. These dots are where your lights will go. Space each dot at least an inch apart since your holes will be around a centimeter in diameter, and make sure to count the number of lights on your string light so you know how many dots you can use for your design. Try spooky shapes like moons and stars, or even a swirling or geometric design for an elegant look.
Next, drill holes in the pumpkin. Gripping the pumpkin securely, use a drill to bore holes where you made markings. Be sure to hollow out all the dots you drew for your pattern. (You may want to try pushing in a few lights from the inside-out to make sure they will fit.)
Lastly, push in the lights. Insert your string of LED lights through the pumpkin's top and push the bulbs through each hole. The bases of your bulbs should be wedged snuggly into the inner sides of the pumpkins with the LEDs poking out. Run the cord through the top or bottom of the pumpkin to the nearest outlet. And voila, you’re done!
2. LED Pumpkin Wrap
Our next idea is for those in the no-carve camp. To create an LED Pumpkin Wrap, simply wrap a battery-powered LED string light around your pumpkin, securing the lights in a design with clear pushpins. For our design, we wrapped the lights vertically around the pumpkin, twisting the lights around the stem and securing the wires in position near the bottom with the pushpins. And there you have it: an easy, mess-free pumpkin light that provides safe and tasteful illumination.
3. Mason Jar LED Pumpkin Lights
If you’re actually skilled at carving pumpkins but want a safer way to illuminate them, try mason jar LED pumpkin lights. Use RGB color-changing LED tape light to make your pumpkin display all the more festive. The LED lights will stay cool to the touch and provide your pumpkin with brighter, more even, and visually stunning illumination than the usual dim flickering offered by standard candles. To create a mason jar pumpkin light, simply take your carved pumpkin and place about two feet of battery-operated RGB tape light inside the jar, then put the jar inside your pumpkin. Use your RGB controller to easily switch the colors of your pumpkin from red, to green, to blue, to all three!
