Whether you need inspiration for carving night or just need to make use of your extra gourds, I have the perfect solution: pumpkin bong. This festive creation offers a fun Halloweed twist for the spooky season. It’s also ridiculously easy to make. So let’s dive in and learn how to make a pumpkin bong so you can get high off your gourd. 

Pumpkin Bong Supplies

Pumpkin bongs don’t require many supplies to make. You likely have most or all of the necessary components at home already. 

Here’s what you need:

• Glass downstem 
• Bowl piece 
• Knife or pumpkin carving tool 
• Spoon 
• Marker 
• A pumpkin 

When picking out an appropriate pumpkin for your bong, look for a medium-sized gourd that’s free of any soft spots or obvious bruising. You want a sturdy pumpkin that can take a bit of damage. Check the stem to make sure it’s rigid and not spongy. 

Any ripe one will do, but I prefer a small to medium pumpkin for bong-making purposes. The larger the pumpkin, the larger the chamber and the more difficult it will be to get a satisfying hit from your gourd. Keep in mind you might want to be able to pick up and pass around this crafty bong, so opting for a smaller, more portable pumpkin may be a wise decision. 

You can disassemble the downstem and mouthpiece from an existing piece to complete this bong. Or you can purchase parts online, like this beautiful deco bowl from NWTN Home. 

Now for the fun part. 

How to make a pumpkin bong 

• Carve the top off. Make a circle around the stem to cut the top of the pumpkin off, leaving a wide enough space for you to scoop the guts out. Try to go at a 45-degree angle inward to create a reliable seal. 

• Scoop those guts out. Be thorough. You don’t want to end up inhaling guts and seeds. If you’re feeling extra festive, go ahead and roast those seeds for a munchy fest later. 

• Map out your cuts with a marker. You’ll need a downstem and a mouth hole. Pick up your pumpkin and imagine you are smoking out of it. Where does your mouth and your hand naturally go? Use that as a guide for your marks. Seriously take some time to think about it and practice passing it around or using it as you typically would. You want the holes to be in the most natural, convenient part of the pumpkin so you don’t end up struggling to use your new festive piece. 

• The downstem hole should be near the middle or lower end of the pumpkin. Right now, just mark where you think it should go. 
• The mouthpiece hole should be closer to the top, on the opposite side of the pumpkin as your downstem hole. 

• Cut  your downstem hole. Make sure that you carefully cut the hole to be slightly smaller than the downstem itself. You can always make it a little bit wider, but you can’t undo a too-large carved hole. Try to cut down at a 45-degree angle so that the downstem will angle slightly down. 

• Install the downstem and bowl piece. Gently push the downstem into the hole. You want it to be a tight fit. Once the downstem has been inserted, add the bowl piece. 

• Carve a mouthpiece. This hole can be a little less precise, as you’ll be pressing your mouth against it to inhale. Make it as big as you see fit for this purpose. 

• Add water. Using the open top, fill the pumpkin with enough water to reach the bottom of the downstem. Be careful about how much water you add and test the functionality often. Too much water can result in a messy situation. You can also skip the water entirely if you’re having trouble. You just won’t have as smooth of hits. 

• Put the top back on. Remember, this should be a tight fit. You don’t want an escape route for the smoke. 

Time to get high off your gourd 

Now that you’ve fully assembled your pumpkin bong, it’s time to get high off your gourd. Load up the bowl piece with your favorite flower. No access to recreational weed? No problem. You can get quality THCa flower online. (Try Mood’s Wonder Bread or Super Lemon Haze for a nice, social pumpkin bong time. Need something a little stronger for the Halloweed sesh? Try Secret Nature Cherry Kush.)

Press your lips against your mouth hole, light the bowl piece, and inhale. 

My favorite part about this Halloweed creation is the way it can actually pick up a bit of pumpkin flavor with each puff. It’s truly an immersive experience for the holidays. 

Pumpkin Bong tips and variations

Carving a bong out of your Halloween pumpkin is a festive choice for this time of year. But you don’t have to stick to a classic orange pumpkin. Any gourd will do. Try a butternut or acorn squash for a fun twist. Heck, you could even carve up a zucchini.

Depending on what type of down stem and bowl piece you use, you may want to carve a small hole for a carb to better control your airflow. If you’re using a piece that you can easily remove the bowl from to allow airflow, you don’t need to do this. But if you can’t remove the bowl piece, a carb will come in handy. Carve a small hole that you can easily reach while using the bong on the side of your pumpkin to act as your carb. 

Please, for the love of all things spooky this season, don’t make your pumpkin bong a multi-use gourd. It should be used as a novel, fun way to toke up for the season—once or twice. Pumpkins can get gross fast and you don’t want to inhale a bunch of decomposing material from an old pumpkin. If you simply must keep using a pumpkin bong this season, make multiple new ones.