Needs some help for our Jack-O-Lantern contest?

Here are some tips that will help you along the way!

Remember, this is your shot to win $100 toward your next stay with us!

Definitely Don’t Lose Your Marbles — Remember sitting on the floor with your childhood friends, spending more time comparing your specialty marble collections than actually playing a real game of marbles? It’s time to climb the attic stairs and fish out your vast marble collection. Or stop by the dollar store and pick up some new ones (the clearer and less decorative the marbles, the better). After carving out your jack-o-lantern’s face, use a pen or other circular pointed object to punch a few holes into your pumpkin. Stick a marble in each hole, light a candle, and place it into the pumpkin. Your jack-o-lantern will be adorned with brightly illuminated marbles, casting a unique glow you can’t achieve by simply cutting holes into a pumpkin. Use marbles to depict your jack-o-lantern’s teeth, dimples, eyeball pupils, or other creative features.
It’s Okay to Be Seedy — After you’ve scooped out your pumpkin innards, pick as many seeds from those stringy guts as you can. While you’re picking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse seeds, and combine every half-cup of seeds you’ve picked with two cups of water. Sprinkle one half of a tablespoon-worth of salt into every one cup of seedy water. Have a salty tooth? Add more. Dump the entire mixture into a pot and bring to a boil on your stove. Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes, then drain water from the seeds using a collander. Grab a flat oven pan, and coat the bottom using a tablespoon-or-so of olive oil. Spread your seeds onto the pan in a single layer. Set the pan in your oven and bake anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes, depending on how brown and toasty you like your seeds. Remove from heat, let cool, and enjoy. Trust us—once you pop the first seed into your mouth, it’s just not an option to stop.

Find more tips here!