[Dr. Frybrain]

So where exactly is it written, that you have to cut a lid in your Jack o'Lantern?

For years, I have had much better results buy cutting out the bottom instead. Just place your pumpkin on top of a coffee can or pot. After adjusting it so that it sits just right, trace the top of the can with a marker, and it will give you a perfect circle to cut.

Your pumpkin will sit perfectly flat, and you won't have a lid to fall in!

[minion_of_the_pumpkin]

ya but cuttin the top has been the way to go for years but that a cool thing to do if you wanna do something different

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Besides the tradition of it, I think there are several benefits to cutting a lid on top.

- During the gutting process, it's more practical to sit the pumpkin on it's "bottom" rather than trying to flip upside down (possibly breaking off the stem).

- To light the candle, it's easier to lift a lightweight lid, compared to the whole pumpkin.

- If you're displaying the pumpkin on a surface that could be damaged by moisture, you're better off with an uncut bottom, rather than an opening there.

- If you knock over the pumpkin accidentally (I've had it happen more than once) the closed (and moist) bottom of the pumpkin catches the hot candle wax.

I'm just being devils advocate here a bit, either way still looks great.

[Dr. Frybrain]

Try it once, and you'll be a convert.

[Hottie McNaughty]

I tried it one year and while it worked just fine I prefer the old school way. My main gripe was that it seemed no matter what I did, light leaked out from the bottom hole and it just annoyed me.

Then again I have a soft spot for the 'cinderella pumpkins' that kind of weeble and wobble around so I like to keep the bottom intact.

I've seen other people have great results from bottom hole method so maybe I wasn't doing it right.....

[Joey]

All you have to do to keep the lid from falling in is cut inward at an angle.

I've tried bottom cutting and don't see the benefits. I'll stick to lids. They make fantastic hats.

[Tkaraoke]

I'll stick to lids. They make fantastic hats.

You just made the nurses wonder what the hell is all that laughter coing out of room 408 for!

[Nightwatchman]

I remember when you could buy a "Lid", but that was something else.

I have tried cutting the bottom out of my pumpkins, but I prefer to cut the top. I like the traditional look of a pumpkin with a lid cut out.

[St0ney]

I remember when you could buy a "Lid", but that was something else.

I have tried cutting the bottom out of my pumpkins, but I prefer to cut the top. I like the traditional look of a pumpkin with a lid cut out.

I Agree on BOTH Counts - LOL
and a 8-ball was not a Pool game - LOL

I too cut the Lid for Traditional reasons.

BUT will say there is a Huge benefit to cutting the bottom.
(especially for those who light the kins with a real power source, i.e. x-mas light strands).

if it rains the water goes through the kin and into / or on the ground, instead of collecting inside,.

[Ajax]

I cut the bottom out, I think the pumpkins look nicer without a saggy old lid. Although sometimes it doesn't sit as nicely and you might get this effect which i don't mind. I honestly thought I got the idea to do that from this site, but Ryan isn't an advocate of it. I wonder where i got the idea???

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[punchi]

I'm a top cutter...don't wanna mess up my stems. Sis in law is a bottom cutter. Different strokes for different folks...

[Dr. Frybrain]

My main gripe was that it seemed no matter what I did, light leaked out from the bottom hole and it just annoyed me.

Just stuff a bunch of fallen leaves around the bottom. They block the light, and look great.

I'm a top cutter...don't wanna mess up my stems.

I've never messed up a stem by cutting the bottom. When I gut it, I just lay it on its side. No problem.

The main advantage to bottom cutting is that you can make it sit at ANY orientation (angle) you wish. Great for out-of-round shaped pumpkins. It also works well when you want to lay a very tall pumpkin on its side.

[gregh3196]

I always cut a lid on top because of the gutting process as mentioned before and also because you can flatten the bottom of a pumpkin easily for the candle but finding a flat surface on my lawn is not as simple. I have done the bottom cut before but noticed the light coming through and dont have many leaves on the ground in west Texas...

[SuperSonic]

top cutter i've seen and helped with bottom cuts for me no benefits

[Barrett]

There are some sculpted pumpkins that, due to the design, benefit from a bottom cut since you need the top intact.
I'll be doing one just like that here in a day or two.

When doing a classic jack, though, I'm a top cut guy for the many practical reasons listed already - plus bottom cuts hinder evaporation, and mold grows quickly in them, in my experience.