Jack-o’-lantern: carve it, light it, get a surprise
Jack-o’-lantern brings Halloween's best-known tradition, pumpkin carving, to a phone screen. At night, in a garden with fireflies drifting about, a big pumpkin sits waiting. The recipient draws eyes, a nose and a mouth on it with a finger, or picks a ready-made face if they'd rather not draw. Tap “Done”, light the candle, and the face they carved glows orange from inside. Then comes the surprise the sender chose: a ghost pops up and says “Boo!”, or candy bursts out of the pumpkin.
It leans more playful than scary, so it suits friends, cousins, the group chat or someone who couldn't make it to the party. Every recipient ends up with a pumpkin carrying their own face design, and at the end they can share a picture of it. Send the link in any chat; it opens in the browser, nothing to install.
What does the recipient experience?
- The opening says the sender left you a surprise and asks if you're brave enough. Turn the sound on and tap “Enter the garden”.
- Your name appears and you move up to the pumpkin. Draw a face on it with your finger; “Clear” starts over and “Ready face” carves one for you. Tap “Done” when you're happy.
- Light the candle by tapping the pumpkin or the “Light the candle” button, and your face glows from within.
- The surprise arrives. With trick, a ghost appears and says “Boo!”, then reacts in different ways each time you tap it. With treat, candy showers out of the pumpkin.
- A music box plays and bats flit past before the sender's message opens. “Share my pumpkin” lets you share or save a picture of your carving, and you can send back a thank-you emoji.
What can you choose?
The sender's main choice is what happens once the candle is lit: “Trick” brings out a ghost that says “Boo!”, “Treat” sets off a shower of candy. Treat is the gentler pick for someone easily startled; the ghost is for anyone who likes a joke. The face itself is drawn by the recipient, not the sender. The sender also writes the recipient's name, their own name and an optional message.
When to send it
Halloween is October 31, and any time that week works; the link is deleted after seven days. The ghost is a cute prank rather than a real fright, but the candy option is easier on very young children. Drawing the face is easy with a finger on a phone and works with a mouse on a computer. Remind them to turn the sound on for the effects and the music box.
Common questions
What if I'm no good at drawing faces?
Tap “Ready face” and the pumpkin is carved with a ready-made face. If you don't like what you drew, “Clear” lets you start again.
What's the difference between trick and treat?
With trick, a ghost appears after the candle is lit, says “Boo!” and reacts whenever you tap it. With treat, candy bursts out of the pumpkin and the screen wishes you a sweet night. The sender decides which one you get.
Can I share the pumpkin I carved?
Yes. The “Share my pumpkin” button on the message card makes a picture of your lit pumpkin; it opens the share menu if your phone supports it, or downloads the image otherwise.