Try these carve-free jack-o'-lantern methods for a Halloween look in less time

Put down that knife! Here are some stylish options for decorating pumpkins without dealing with all that pumpkin mush.

Make it sparkle: Cover your pumpkin in glue and roll it in glitter – shades of black, silver, gold and orange all suit the season. It can be messy, so lay down lots of newspaper in advance. The finished product will look classy by day and shimmer spookily in the moonlight.

Chalk it up: Paint your pumpkin with chalkboard paint, then let your kids (or kids-at-heart) draw devilish designs in colourful chalk.

Creepy costumes: Your pumpkin can also get dressed up for Halloween. Make masks, eyes, ears and other decorations out of cardboard, construction paper or crafting foam and attach them to your pumpkin with glue or toothpicks.

Or break out your mad paper maché skills to fashion creepy accessories such as horns or spooky spiders. Finish the look with cobwebs, plastic spiders and other seasonal décor. You could also raid your closets and clothe your pumpkin costume classics such as hats, ties or scarves.

Spooky sketches: Call on your inner artist to create a haunted tableau. Start by tracing our vision out in washable marker – so you can start over if you make a mistake – then finish the job with paint or permanent ink.

Wicked wraps: Pick up some seasonal ribbon and wrap it around the centre of your pumpkin for a quick and crafty décor pick-me-up. Cluster a few together with different widths, styles and patterns of ribbon for a quick festive feel.

Or, pull out a spare roll of toilet paper to transform your pumpkin into a mummy. If it looks a little messy, just say he’s unravelling. Add some craft store or permanent marker eyes between a gap in the paper for an extra creepy look.

Ghoulish ghosts: Choose a white gourd or give your pumpkin a fresh coat of white paint, then add some eyes and an “O” shaped mouth to create a ghastly ghost.

Scrape the surface: Use the edge of a spoon to scrape away the top layers of the pumpkin skin (you’ll want to reveal the white layers for a standout look) to get an elaborate design without carving. Try tracing cookie cutter shapes or lettering in a creepy font. If you do decide to haul out the knife and hollow it out, the scraped away portions will glow eerily.

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