There are a lot of thing fun about pumpkin carving.
The story behind decorating pumpkins is a legendary myth. It is said that jack-o-lanterns kept the evil spirits away as they walked the earth on All Saints day.
HGTV's website has some great pumpkin carving tutorials. Beginner tutorials are located here: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/beginner-Halloween-pumpkin-carving-templates/pictures/index.html, and more advanced tutorials are located here: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/advanced-Halloween-pumpkin-carving-templates/pictures/index.html
Better Homes and Gardens have several pumpkin decorating ideas without using knives nor carving your pumpkin up. You can learn how to apply their techniques by visiting their website at www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-decorating.
A craft Pumpkin
I love Halloween too. Here are a couple places to look for ideas for an awesome jack-o-lantern, I like Martha's ideas the best: http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/pumpkins http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving-decorating/jack-o-lanterns/
You could always paint the outside of the pumpkin, using black, purple, and green paint. This is especially popular for little kids' Halloween parties.
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving/printable-pumpkin-stencils/ This site is one of many that offers free printable pumpkin carving templates. There are dozens of designs on this site alone, offering a lot of uniqueness.
One of my favorite Halloween crafts and decorating go-tos is www.hgtv.com. You may also look at magazines during the fall season for pumpkin decorating ideas. Better Homes and Gardens, Crafting, and Good Housekeeping are some good magazines to look into.
You can find pumpkin carving templates at http://www.ehow.com/halloween/templates.html. You can find more at http://www.rd.com/slideshows/12-free-printable-pumpkin-carving-stencils/. You just download and print.
You can get pumpkin carving stencils at a bunch of different stores around halloween. The best place would probably be Michaels but i do know that Walgreens and walmart carry them as well
Unique and easy pumpkin carving patterns can be found: www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/mpatterns.htm www.zombiepumpkins.com/ www.spookmaster.com/pumpkin-carving-patterns-freebies.htm www.pumpkinlady.com/pattern.htm Start with these. You're sure to have boootiful results!
You can do a lot of things to decorate a pumpkin. You can carve a face in a pumpkin by cutting off the top, emptying the seeds, then carving on the pumpkin. You can also use markers or paints to draw on a pumpkin.
They are because you can make them look scary by carving them