When I was a child in the New Orleans area, my big brown eyes would be popping at Halloween time with vivid images, shapes, characters and colors designed to capture the imagination and transport one into another sense of reality. I recall scary voodoo zombies regaling the windows of storefronts, Halloween jesters staring out from behind curtains, expressive uses of masks with a French or Creole twist, and these visuals combined with music and food would be a fun, frightening feast for the senses.

Now that we've moved into the Northeast and times have changed, Halloween has become more demure and conservative, and in many ways around our neighborhood, barely noticeable. Parents have become spooked themselves about having their children running around trick-or-treating, and small parties - tightly-controlled - have replaced the traditional community experience of Halloween. I can understand why that's happened, but it doesn't prevent me from trying to bring some of that old New Orleans spirit to my adopted hometown; in fact, it inspires me to share some ideas. I'd like to share these 5 with you.

1. Curtains - the Blacker, the Better!

It's really inexpensive to purchase some black fabrics online and spread them all throughout the house; curtains over windows, draped over furniture, hanging in corners or in unexpected places. This alone can give a dramatic "cape of fear" over one's home. Use liberally.

2. Make Strange Costumes!

This is a bit more involved, but rather than buying costumes off the shelf, a little imagination can turn some cheap fabric and some well-glued craft goodies into one-of-a-kind, bizarre costumes with weird shapes and faces. I recommend a combination of black and other ghoulish colors.

3. "Webbing."

Fabric alone can be taken and "shredded" to make a host of scary cobwebs all around the house and especially on the front porch. "Webs" draped everywhere create a sense of foreboding as the children approach the door - creating a spooky effect that "primes" them for the fear to come once they ring the doorbell.

4. Eerie Lighting!

Setting up light bulbs (I strongly recommend red) at specific points of interest can cast ghastly hues and shadows in the windows and on the porch, as well as when you open the door. I like to have a light directly behind me when I answer the door, because it gives the effect of a gigantic silhouette. If this light is red or orange, it completely magnifies the effect!

5. Scary Faces Everywhere!

I purchase a bunch of cheap masks that, when in used in combination with the webbing, lighting, and black curtains, create the illusion of living faces peering out from every nook of the house. If done correctly, this creates the sense of a "ghoul jungle" that is fun, surprising, and never fails to delight the kids - even if there is a scream or two!

I do try to keep away from the bloody, murder-themed stuff - but I like making my Halloween experience as fun and spooky as possible without crossing the line. I may never recapture what I enjoyed in New Orleans as a kid, but every year I try to come as close as possible!

One of the most popular images around Halloween time is the colorful orange Jack-o-Lantern face. There are endless possibilities when designing a Jack-o-Lantern. They can be scary, happy, sad, weird, angry, silly, human or animal like. People love looking at carved pumpkins, and they are often the centerpiece of outside Halloween decorations.

While carving a pumpkin is relatively simple, there are a few things to keep in mind while you are hunting for that perfect pumpkin for your display.

1. Look for carvable pumpkins that have a strong stem that is firmly attached. To check for ripeness, pick up the pumpkin and thump it a few times. You should hear a hollow sound, which lets you know this pumpkin will be easy to scoop out. The pumpkin’s surface should be smooth and free of blemishes and discolorations.
2. Be sure to always carry your pumpkin from the bottom. DO NOT carry it by the stem, because the stem may snap, which speeds up rotting.
3. Store your pumpkins in a cool, dry place. Heat and light speeds up rotting.
4. Before carving your pumpkin, wash it in a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach and 1 gallon of water. This prevents mold.
5. Draw your pumpkin pattern on a piece of paper first, that way you can make easy revisions without damaging your prize pumpkin. If you can’t come up with your own design idea, you can always use ready made stencils or templates (these can be found online or inside a pumpkin carving kit). Cut the pattern out and secure it on the pumpkin surface with masking tape. Use a carving knife (or poking tool) to create pinpricks, or marks, to score the design for you to use as a guide.
6. To cut the actual design out of the pumpkin, use a small serrated saw for best results. Carve with a back and forth sawing motion. Go slow. NEVER use a straight-edge razor, because this can damage the pumpkin and cause possible injuries.
7. Consider buying a pumpkin carving kit to save time. Pumpkin carving kits contain all the tools you’ll need to create great looking Jack-o-Lantern faces.
8. If the thought of carving a real pumpkin sounds messy or like too much of a hassle, you can opt to buy an acrylic craft pumpkin. These look pretty real and are easy to carve too. Best thing about these acrylic pumpkins is that you can reuse them year after year!
9. Once you’ve carved your traditional pumpkin face, think about mixing things up a little with some other interesting designs like: black cats, witches, ghosts, moon and stars, popular movie characters, or drilling holes in your pumpkin that form an unexpected pattern.
10. While one pumpkin on the porch or front yard is great, imagine how it will look if you use several small to medium sized pumpkins. Displaying several pumpkins together creates more drama for neighbors and trick-or-treaters.