Persimmon Jack O'Lanterns

There was a time when we couldn't buy orange pumpkins here. So, we used persimmons to make jack-o-lanterns. Persimmons are smaller and softer and easier to carve. Here's how we do it.

I (the mom) cut off the top. Even when the persimmon is ripe, the fruit is a little difficult to spoon out. I cut around the outer edge and then through the center twice. Big Sister and Little Brother scoop out and eat the fruit. Then they cut a face in the sides. When they were younger, they used toothpicks instead of knives or pumpkin carving kits.

We stick a meditation or prayer candle in the center. It's possible for the candle to stand on its own if it is pushed down into the bottom of the fruit.

Here are some meditation candles. These are really short. They burn for 5 minutes. I put some coins around them so you can tell how small they are. There is a coin from Korea, Japan, France, Mexico, Canada, Malaysia, the U.S., and the Philippines. Click on the picture to enlarge it. I couldn't find any other foreign coins. I know I have more somewhere.

You probably can't find meditation or prayer candles in your neighborhood. You could use birthday candles, but have an adult cut them into small pieces. Would that work? In any case, this is something to do with an adult. Never light candles without an adult with you.