Pumpkinheads, or, Put on a Jack-o-Lantern and Take One Thousand Photos

 

So, this is probably my favorite Halloween activity ever. Thank you, TikTok!

I've been wanting to do this pumpkinhead photo shoot since last October--you know, back when it was actually trendy. I didn't end up getting around to it--so many Halloween crafts, so little time!--but when a teenager specifically requested Halloween projects this month, I wrote it at the top of my to-do list in red letters.

Will, who is by far the most practical of us, declined the opportunity to dress in flannel, put a heavy Jack-o-lantern on her head, and stand around while I took one thousand photos. Fortunately, though, a couple of other family members were willing to indulge me on this beautiful fall day at the peak of autumn foliage:

I took SO MANY PHOTOS! We just kept thinking of poses that it would be funny and awesome to do with a Jack-o-lantern on one's head!

The key to true magic, though, is having a graphic designer at one's service:

This photo shoot was so fun, and I am so happy with the photos! And afterwards, our pumpkinheads joined the rest of our Jack-o-lantern family:

I've longed for years to buy more of those carvable fake pumpkins to add to our menagerie, but the big-box stores eventually realized how awesome they are and they've been stupid expensive for a while now. I bought them yearly when the kids were small, though, and those kid-carved forever pumpkins are my favorites, so I'm pretty stoked to have a new type of magical Halloween memorabilia to display next year!