Coco’-lantern

I love to decorate for Christmas but Halloween not so much. Perhaps it's because living in the VI it just doesn't feel like fall.  I don't know, the rich fall colors imparted by halloween decorations just seem out of place here.  We don't have that hallmark sudden change in temperature announcing autumn's arrival, but then again we are still swimming in the ocean & relaxing in the sand.  Ahh...trade-offs!  

A few years back I started making coco'-lanterns for halloween.  It's my own tropical twist on the classic pumpkin jack-o’-lantern.  

The idea first came to me when I hosted a weekly Caribbean Beach Jam BBQ at the Westin St. John.  The party was complete with a "coconut man" who opened coconuts on demand for guests to drink & enjoy.  At the end of the night there were so many opened coconuts that I was compelled to do something with them.  They were just crafts & decorations waiting to happen.  Hence inspiring my coconut jack-o’-lanterns along with a variety of other projects.
 Here's the how to:

1. Peel your coconut.  Not an easy task to start but once you get it going it’s pretty easy.  I use a flat screwdriver and hammer to pry off the outer husk and get the peeling process going.  You can also use a machete if you have the skills.  Just be careful not to crack the inner nut.  Or you can also head to the supermarket and buy one already to go.
2. Next, cut the bottom of the coconut flat so it stands upright. You can use a sharp knife if you have a young, green coconut or if your coconut is mature and extra tuff use a machete or jigsaw.  Cut enough off to expose a hole wide enough to accommodate a tea light.  Have a cup handy to catch the coconut water. 
3. With a small teaspoon gently scrape out the coconut meat.  This beats pumpkin filling any day!
4. Use a pen to sketch the face onto the surface of the nut.  Cut holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. Use a paring knife (if you have a soft coconut) or a jigsaw or drill on a low setting for a mature coconut.  Be careful, your coco’-lantern is fragile.
5. Rinse your coco’-lantern inside & out and let dry completely.
6. Finally, place a small battery operated tea light in the bottom opening.  Avoid using real candles as your coco’-lantern is much smaller then its pumpkin counterpart and can catch on fire very easily. 

They are small so I like to make a few and cluster them to create a festive grouping.  The project takes an average of 30-45 minutes to complete. A little longer after a few coconut water & rum cocktails!  Wear old clothes, as flying coconut pieces can cause impossible to remove dark stains on your clothes.  You can also paint, varnish or stain your finished coco’-lanterns for a more polished look. 

This project is one of my absolute favorites!  It takes a little time & effort but is soo worth it!  I really hope you try it.  Although I must confess I don't think I'll make my coco-lantern's this way this year.  I really want to make these with Milan, so I plan to skip the power tools and paint faces and designs directly on my coconuts.  Still really cute, but easy enough to do with a  little one.   After all if I am to inspire her to be creative and resourceful and love crafts as much as her mami I need to get her started now!  I'll let you know how it goes once we've made a few.
CC