Halloween is approaching and it’s time to decorate: without a doubt, creativity will emerge and everyone will start placing decorations in their house in order to follow the horror theme. There are ways to preserve the pumpkins that we use to decorate this special date and make them last for several days, since the decoration only remains once when the expected night has passed. Discover all the ways there are to decorate in advance and make your house the scariest in the whole neighborhood on this special date, and How to preserve a Halloween pumpkin.
It should be noted that pumpkins are usually a major element of decoration for these dates, a celebration that began in the United States, but over time has spread throughout the world. However, the origin of the word is Scottish: it comes from “Every New Year’s Eve”which in Spanish means “the eve of All Saints’ Day”, and in the beginning it was a pagan celebration, which over the years reached what it is today. As for decoration, “people originally carved turnips and placed candles in them to protect against evil spirits, but Americans replaced the turnips with pumpkins,” according to the article A Brief History of Halloween published by the New York Public Library, a tradition that is now enduring and why it is important to learn how to save the pumpkin for each year’s decoration.
What are the methods for preserving a Halloween pumpkin?
Pumpkin carving is one of the most fun pre-date activities. In addition to organizing the costumes, coordinating the route of the visit with your friends or neighbors, decoration plays a vital role which makes it a fundamental element.
However, it is important that you learn how to preserve it so that the decoration can be carried out over time and does not deteriorate. Although to eat them, according to the Spanish Heart Foundation “you have to look at those that are firm and with intact skin, and if they have the tail or the stem, it is much better”, for this type of decorations, you can use one that is less firm. This will not only make your task easier, but will also give it an even more terrifying touch.
To avoid the formation of mold and the deterioration of odors, one way to preserve them is using bleach. The first thing you will need to do is prepare one tablespoon of chlorine in one liter of water in a bucket that will contain the pumpkin. Mix the two ingredients and submerge the pumpkin in it for a minute or two, which will kill any bacteria and fungi it may carry, and it won’t form mold or other germ breeding that would spoil it.
Another way is use hairspray: Spray the entire pumpkin, making sure to reach the most hidden places, both inside and outside. Remember that it is flammable, so placing candles in or near it is not recommended.
He oil or vaseline They are also great allies in conservation: for this, it is recommended to use disposable gloves to help you apply a generous layer of one of the two products mentioned which will constitute an effective barrier against the spread of bacteria. You can implement it both indoors and outdoors and you will get better results.
Alternatives to Storing Halloween Pumpkins
Note that floor wax is a great ally for preserving pumpkin: with it you will form a thin, shiny film on the surface which will give a terrifying touch to your decoration but will give it a longer decorative life.
Finally, there is one last method of preserving pumpkin for decorations, known as sealing and cold: for this you must first You need to remove the pulp and seeds, which will remove moisture, which will significantly change the useful life of the pumpkin; Then you spray it inside and out, with a mixture of water and vinegar, and this will help prevent the spread of bacteria; and finally, you should store it in a cool place or in the refrigerator to slow down decomposition.
Another option is to place the carved pumpkin in a cold place, between 2-5ºC, and leave it there until you want to display it.
Now that you know some ways to keep your carved pumpkin longer, it’s time for you to spend some time choosing the pumpkin design and arrive in time to decorate everything like Halloween. And not only that, you have it for more days since these parties usually last about a week.
