Ghostly greetings, y'all! Shadows are stretching longer, and there's a chill creeping into the air, which can only mean one thing: Day of the Vara is here, and it's time to dust off the carving knives. We're bringing back one of our favorite community traditions: the Pumpkin Decorating Contest! Grab a pumpkin, your carving knife, your paintbrush, or whatever else you've got in the toolshed, and turn your gourd into the spookiest creation this side of the 'verse. This year, we're leaning into some classic monster themes: Frankenstein, Vampire, and Werewolf. As a treat and not a trick, every qualified entry earns "The Hill Horror" Helmet that's permanently attributed to your account, one per account. So pick your poison and show us what you've got for a shot at some devilishly good prizes. Welcome to the '2026 Pumpkin Decorating Contest! Before You Begin :exclamation:Before you start on your submissions, please read the contest rules carefully and remember to post your entries to the Day of the Vara 2956 event page on the Community Hub. Replies to this thread will NOT count as entries.:exclamation: Keep In Mind Read the contest rules! :book: Your pumpkin must fit one of the three monster themes: Frankenstein, Vampire, or Werewolf. Bonus points for weaving in Star Citizen: ship silhouettes, faction logos, alien flavor, scenes from the 'verse. The more SC flavor, the better your shot at winning, but a solid monster pumpkin on its own still counts. Your submission must also include at least one photo or video that shows your process. Your submission will NOT be accepted without this. Only real pumpkins, carved and/or painted, will be accepted Submit your posts carefully, as posts edited after the submission deadline will not be considered. If you have made an error in the post, you can edit it provided this is done within the official duration of the contest. Please post your submissions to the Day of the Vara 2956 event page on the Community Hub. Each unique pumpkin is considered a single entry, and you are allowed multiple entries, but you can only win 1 prize. No image post-processing, special or after-effects of any kind may be applied or performed on the photograph to create any submission, although the pumpkin may be photographed with decoration, arrangement, or lighting. Submissions that use or feature AI will NOT be considered. Any submission not following the above instructions will NOT be considered. Any submission that meets the above requirements will be awarded "The Hill Horror" Helmet to be attributed after the contest ends. Winning Conditions The CIG jury will judge your submissions on: Quality: Clean carving or paint work that holds up in a photo. A Frankenstein stitched together with sloppy cuts and slapped-on paint won't score as well as one built with real care. Creativity: A carved Werewolf could just be a wolf face. An SC spin might have it howling at a Crusader moon. Both qualify. The second just scores higher. Rule adherence: Even the scariest Vampire won't score if it skips the contest requirements. Read the rules, follow them, and you're covered. Dates The submission period will end on Monday, November 9, 2026, 20:00 UTC. Prizes One winner from each theme/category will receive their choice of one of three ships with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + accompanying paint + one mask bundle. These prizes are non-giftable and non-upgradable. Drake Vulture in-game ship with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Frankenstein paint + Mask bundle. Kruger L-22 Alpha Wolf in-game ship with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Werewolf paint + Mask bundle. Aegis Eclipse in-game ship with LTI (in-game lifetime insurance) + Vampire paint + Mask bundle. Time to squash the competition with your spooktacular handiwork; we can't wait to see what you come up with! :jack_o_lantern: