• Use pumpkins to decorate your home or stage holiday photo shoots.little wizard image by NiDerLander from Fotolia.com
  
  Harry Potter is a fictional character developed by Joanne Murray, better known as J.K. Rowling. The adventurous life of this teen wizard is chronicled in a seven-volume series of the same name. Rowling's books have been lauded for their fluid style and appeal to young readers. Include Harry Potter pumpkin decorations in your holiday design scheme to get into the holiday spirit and support a love of reading. Consider decorating pumpkins during a marathon reading of Harry Potter books and awarding copies of the book to the best carvers.
  
  

Characters

• There are dozens of lovable characters in the Harry Potter series. Aside from the main characters --- Harry, Ron and Hermione --- there is Hagrid, the over-sized game keeper; Snape, the potion master; and Mrs. Weasley, to name a few. Or, if you fancy a challenge, try to carve one of the many mythical creatures featured in the series, such as the sirens, mandrakes or dragons. Most of the wildlife in the Harry Potter series is borrowed from European myth and legend, so there is plenty of source material to draw from. Harry Potter stencil kits are available if you are looking for an easily replicable design. However, you can save a few dollars by using free Harry Potter stencils and tattoos online, such as those on the Cartoon Jr. website.
  
  

Magical Objects

• Socks are featured in the series as the mark of a freed elf.wool sock image by Alex Motrenko from Fotolia.com
  
  From wands to talking hats, magical objects fill the Harry Potter universe. Since these items are everyday things used by the majority of the characters, there is a wide range of styles to choose. These designs can be simple, made with straight edges and few curves. Use generic stencils to carve the base of the object, then customize with details from the book. Surround your magic object pumpkins with more detailed carvings of characters to tie them into the theme.
  
  

Text

• Sometimes a word is worth a thousand pictures. The fonts used for the titles and chapter breaks throughout the Harry Potter series are quite distinctive. Using them to carve the title or other related words will immediately draw the attention of fans. While the exact font used is not publicly available, MuggleNet and other online fan sites offer similar character sets for non-commercial use. Laminate printed text and adhere to your pumpkin for a carving stencil.