Pyrotechnic Pumpkins

Every Halloween Spark and Dad make some fancy flaming jack-o-lanterns.  The quaint glow of a candle lit pumpkin is fine for some folks, but we figure, "Hey let's turn it up a notch".  To make a much flamier pumpkin use a metal can (soup can, tuna can, whatever) stuffed with rolled up paper towels or old rags.  Add a liberal amount of charcoal lighter fluid or kerosene.  We always have kerosene for the heater in the boy garage (?), so we use that.  Place the fuel can in the pumpkin like you would a candle and light it up.  Note that the fuels we have mentioned burn brightly and for a pretty long time but not explosively.  DON'T use anything like gasoline.    

The alien dosn't have a top like a normal jack-o-lantern, rather a hole cut in back.  When we did the trial run before the 4-H halloween party the wind was just right and smoke billowed out of the eyes.

This pumpkin with a half lid has smoke and flames that come out of the top of the head.

 Dancer's Jack Skellington pumpkin, with the lid on, has flames coming out the eyes.

Smoke and flames coming out of the eyes.  Nice.