Grown on every continent but Antarctica, the pumpkin was once thought to be a cure-all for freckles and snakebites. But what this vine-grown fruit does best is symbolize everything magical and spooky about the season. If you don’t believe that, just ask Ichabod Crane.

On the next pages: How to choose a pumpkin for carving, jack-o'-lantern basics, music to carve by, a recipe for roasted pumpin seeds, and more.