Animals

• Pumpkin animals are sure to delight both young and old. Children especially will enjoy seeing a pumpkin transformed into a cat, dog or mouse. If you'd like to carve an animal into a hollowed-out pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern effect, first sketch your design with a pencil. Then carefully scrape away the top layer of pumpkin with a pumpkin carving tool. Choose a spider for an extra-creepy animal.
  
  You can also use a variety of materials to create three-dimensional animals with a pumpkin. Gourds, apples, peppers, corn cobs and other vegetables can be used to create the animal's features. Fashion ears out of felt or heavy paper. Yarn is good for making whiskers.
  
  

Drunkards

• For an adults-only design that is sure to bring laughs, carve out a pumpkin that looks like he had a little too much to drink. Carve a traditional jack-o-lantern face, being sure that the mouth is opened. Then take the seeds and strings from the hollowed-out pumpkin and spread them in front of the pumpkin, coming out of his mouth. Arrange some empty beer or liquor bottles around it.
  
  

Whimsical

• Pumpkin "Pi" is a funny play on words.
  
  Pumpkin carvings can be a great place for offbeat humor. If you enjoy a play on words, carve a Pi symbol (π) into your pumpkin for a pumpkin pie that you can leave out all night. Computer geeks might get a kick out of a carved emoticon like : ) or ; )
  
  Cartoon characters are a fun choice for pumpkin designs. You can choose a classic character like Mickey Mouse or Casper the Friendly Ghost, or a current favorite like Homer Simpson or Spongebob Squarepants. Think about your favorite movies for inspriation. A character like Darth Vader would make an ominous-looking pumpkin for a "Star Wars" fan.
  
  

Portraits

• If you have great carving skills and a lot of patience, portraits of your favorite actor or actress are interesting design choices that will get raves from anyone who sees the pumpkin. Using a photo of the actress, sketch her face onto a hollowed-out pumpkin and gently carve the lines.
  
  

Words

• Carving words into a pumpkin is easier than some other intricate designs. Greet the trick-or-treaters with your own pumpkin that has the words "Trick or Treat!" carved into it. Other words like "Boo!" or "R.I.P." are short and simple to carve into a pumpkin.