Tesco is giving away pre-carved pumpkins for free for Halloween – how to get your hands on one
The shortcut to a perfect jack-o'-lantern
For many of us, the pinnacle of Halloween is carving a pumpkin to sit on the doorstep. However, I’ll admit that pumpkin carving is a skill in itself, requiring both time and artistic talent. If you lack either, Tesco is offering free pre-carved pumpkins in selected stores this week to add some Halloween magic to your home.
Decorating pumpkins is the most famous of all Halloween decorating ideas. And while no-carve pumpkin ideas are available, carving your own is a hallowed tradition we start as children.
However, if you lack time, or find that your carving skills are terrifying for all the wrong reasons, then you will be interested to learn that Tesco is doing all the hard work for us this October. Here’s everything you need to know about Tesco’s pre-carved pumpkins and how you can get your hands on one.
How to get a pre-carved pumpkin
Tesco has revealed, using research conducted by Censuswide, that 36% of Brits say they’d appreciate a little help with pumpkin design. 28% of us felt pressure to carve a pumpkin good enough to display on the doorstep, 26% said they lack carving skills, and 19% of us dislike the mess caused by pumpkin carving. However, one thing the majority agrees on (78%) is that we love to see the creativity of children come to life via their designs.
In response to the lack of creative confidence amongst adults, 10 Tesco stores will be offering four pre-carved designs between 22 and 31 October this year. These will be carved by Tesco’s own ‘pumpkin artists in residence’.
Shoppers can choose between two pre-carved designs. The autumn decorating ideas on offer are: the Eclipse, which is a nod to this year’s eclipse and features the partially covered sun and twinkling stars, or a classic Jack-O-lantern face.
The pumpkins will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis from 3-5 pm each day, with the exception of Sunday 25th October at Tesco Nottingham Top Valley Extra, where pumpkins will be available from 2-4 pm. You don’t need to make an in-store purchase to participate, and the pumpkins are only available while stocks last.
The 10 participating stores are:
- Thursday 22nd October: Tesco Risca Extra
- Friday 23rd October: Tesco Cheltenham Superstore
- Saturday 24th October: Tesco New Oscott Extra
- Sunday 25th October: Tesco Nottingham Top Valley Extra
- Monday 26th October: Tesco Sheffield Extra
- Tuesday 27th October: Tesco Stockport Extra
- Wednesday 28th October: Tesco York Tadcaster Road Extra
- Thursday 29th October: Tesco Middlesbrough Coulby Newham
- Friday 30th October: Tesco Newcastle Upon Tyne Extra
- Saturday 31st October: Tesco Edinburgh Corstorphine Extra
If you choose to pick up your pre-carved pumpkin, there are a few clever tricks you can try to help it last longer post-carving. You can spray your pumpkin with peppermint oil and water to prevent it from rotting too quickly. Peppermint is a natural preservative, making it a great natural method to keep your pumpkin fresh.
Alternatively, if you want to stick to tradition and have a go at carving a pumpkin yourself, prices for pumpkins start at just 55p at Tesco. Here are a few helpful products to make the process easier.
There will be a limited ammount of pre-carved pumpkins, so ensure you head down early if you want to get your hands on one.
