First, let me say that I'm a purist when it comes to lighting my jack-o-lanterns. There's nothing like the brightness and flicker of a real flame. And there's just something "Halloweeny" about the smell of pumpkins gently cooking from the inside.
But to keep things safe for the kids you might want another option. And if you're using an artificial pumpkin, a non-candle lighting method is a
must! Here are some of the lights I use:
1. Streetlight LED light stick
These are the items I'm selling this year. While not the brightest option, they're probably the most versatile. They have 3 different settings (chase, strobe, and steady). Besides putting in pumpkins, they're great for kids. They have a hole on the end so you can string them around your neck for trick-or-treating. And when Halloween is over, you raver types could always swing these around at the club.
2. LED tea light
Made to resemble candles, these LED lights actually have a slight flicker to mimic a real flame. I've seen a few different brands of these, with the Fun-kins ones being common and affordable. They're small and the candle shape is cool, but out of all the choices, they give off the least amount of light.
They might be cool in small lanterns or just sitting on a shelf. But I think they lack the power to light up a full size pumpkin.
3. Amazing Rainbow pumpkin light
This one has three bright LEDs (red, green, blue) which fade on and off in different patterns. So you get a decent range of colors fading into each other (although, it's mostly shades of red, green, blue). A pretty nice effect though. While it could be brighter, the mirrored surface on the bottom really tosses the light far (like a flashlight). So these are also great for lighting up bigger areas or just casting light/shadows on the walls.
4. Pumpkin Strobe Light
This one is put out by Pumpkin Masters. I gotta say, this is a really nice option. It's VERY bright, so this is a good choice if you're displaying your pumpkins anywhere that isn't too dark. The "strobe" name is a little misleading. It doesn't flash like a strobe light. It's got 5 bulbs (like Christmas lights) which turn on and off randomly. Since at least one light is almost always on, it doesn't go dark. It just creates a nice flicker effect. Main issue with this one is, it eats batteries in a hurry.
All of these options are portable and powered with replaceable batteries. Other lighting options might include Christmas candles (the type people put in windows) or regular ol' nightlights. But those options require you to be near an outlet. For total freedom with your pumpkin placement, battery power is a good way to go.