Cool Jack o Lanterns

Nothing says cool like green fire, right? Maybe I'm biased, but I think a Halloween jack o lantern that spouts green fire is about as cool as it gets. This is a simple effect to produce, requiring only two easy-to-find chemicals.

The best part about this cool Halloween jack o lantern is that you don't need to carve your pumpkin. This means your jack o lantern can last for weeks instead of days and that you won't need to risk a trip to the emergency room if you're more butcher than artist when attempting carving.

If you fill your Halloween jack o lantern with dry ice fog you don't have to wait until night to enjoy it. This is a simple display that can last for hours.

Smoke bombs aren't just for July 4th! They are cool any time of the year. If you light a homemade smoke bomb inside of a Halloween jack-o-lantern you'll get purple flames and tons of smoke. Outdoors only, please...

This is arguably the coolest of the Halloween jack o lanterns, but it's also the most risky. Attempt this one only if you have some chemistry or pyrotechnics training, otherwise read about it and play with green fire instead.

This Halloween jack-o-lantern spews out real water fog, so it is completely non-toxic and safe, even for young kids.

This version of the self-carving jack-o'-lantern blows out the carved face of the pumpkin, but doesn't carry the risk of fire or an explosion. It's still fun, but it's safe. Plus, you can use common household materials to achieve the effect.