Some years ago I visited beautiful New Hampshire in the Fall. In the Jackson area, one of the seasonal attractions is the Return of the Pumpkin People. For several years now, I have carried on this tradition in my own front yard in Southern California.

Pumpkin People can be anyone, or do anything. The only requirement is that their head must be a pumpkin. And none of this funkin stuff. We want the real thing.

Some ideas for your Pumpkin People are American Gothic, raking leaves, movie characters, sports, camping, trick-or-treating, dancing, playing music, or just hanging out. Bring out the old clothes or Halloween costumes ( overalls work great, and so do longer dresses). Stuff some old tights or nylons for the legs, use long-sleeved shirts and gloves for the arms. If you want the arms to be posable, add a wire coat hanger.

Run a stake through the clothes and into the ground. The stake should have a crosspiece near the top for 'shoulders', and a platform for the pumpkin to rest on. Paint a face on your pumpkin, stuff the body, accessorize, and voila.

Be sure not to puncture the pumpkin, because it will rot in a few days.

This year my Pumpkin People are sitting around a campfire. The campfire is glowing, and their marshmallows and getting crispy on the outside, gooey within.

On Halloween families love to pose for photos with the Pumpkin People.