How do you welcome fall at your home? Do you pull out the hay bales, carve up the pumpkins, welcome the howling wind and wait as the leaves fall to the ground, casting a perfect look of disarray on your normally well-kept lawn? Perhaps you prefer to focus on stocking up on treats for soon-to-be ghosts and goblins or decorating the interior your home? Maybe you use this season as an inspiration in your baking?

Regardless of how you greet October, fall has arrived, bringing a crispness to the air, laughter and plotting to children and teens, and earlier sunsets for all of us. As you think about how to extend a little more light into your day, consider brightening up the porch of your home with a well-carved jack-o-lantern.

Small or large, a pumpkin or gourd with a flat bottom is a must-have at this time of year, and color and variety are easily found at your local farmer's market or pumpkin patch. Consider your design plan before choosing your squash, as more ornate designs may require a thinner skinned pumpkin while more traditional designs often look best on tall, yet round, stemmed varieties. You may even decide that one is not enough for the look you wish to achieve.

Before you begin your decoration efforts, take care to prepare your surfaces and protect them with newsprint or cardboard. Then let the creativity (and cutting) begin! Turn to online sources for inspiration or let your mind run wild as you carve your one-of-a kind jack-o-lantern. Once carved, test out your decor by adding in lights, candles, or glow sticks to finish off the look so you can carefully display your creation for all to see and enjoy as they pass your home.