21 Creative Ways to Display Your Halloween Pumpkins Outside

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated October 05, 2020
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Credit: Helen Norman
Move over, Jack, there are other outdoor pumpkin decorations in town. These genius tips for displaying pumpkins outside will make your Halloween yard decorations the envy of the neighborhood. We'll provide tips and tricks for carving, painting, adorning, and displaying festive pumpkins.
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Pumpkin Bonfire

Credit: Blaine Moats
Get the FREE pumpkin stencil

Set your pumpkins on fire with this cool pumpkin decorating idea. Mimic a bonfire by carving flames into pumpkins, then stacking them in the shape of a fire pit. Our free stencil makes this design easy.

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Etched Pumpkin Display

Credit: Adam Albright

Group etched fall pumpkins together to create an eye-catching outdoor display. Add a farmhouse Halloween touch by topping the carved pumpkins with a simple burlap ribbon ($11, Michaels) bow.

Related: 8 Tips for Making Your Halloween Pumpkins Last Longer

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Talking Pumpkins

Credit: Carson Downing

Let your outdoor Halloween decorations do the talking—literally. Metallic leaf and thumbtacks form string art letters on the pumpkins spelling out "boo". Stack pumpkins vertically or horizontally, and stick to short, spooky sayings like "boo" or "eek."

Related: Learn How to Make String Art

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Creepy-Crawly Pumpkins

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Ready for the simplest screams ever? Just attach a fake spider ($4, Target) on a plain orange pumpkin. The black creepy-crawly stands out against the orange to spook visitors of all ages. For best results, choose a realistic-looking spider.

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Orange Pumpkin Display

Credit: Carson Downing
Make the DIY Spider Webs

A cohesive color scheme is the base of this festive Halloween front porch. To recreate the look at home, place a few carved jack-o'-lanterns on your steps or porch. Fill in with plain orange pumpkins and lanterns ($60, Overstock) filled with small gourds. Finish the outdoor Halloween display with a yarn spider web hanging.

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Hanging Bat Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the FREE stencil

A trio of bat pumpkins makes a startling Halloween porch decoration. Felt wings and ears secured with toothpicks transform petite pumpkins into wicked-cute bats. Etch out the eyes then stick red sewing pins through the center of each to create beady stares. A coat of black paint on the bodies makes the eyes appear to glow even during the day.

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Carved Pumpkin Display

Credit: Carson Downing

A simple wood crate ($10, Michaels) is one of our favorite ways to display a carved jack-o'-lantern. Set the pumpkin inside and surround it with colorful fall leaves, mini pumpkins, and gourds.

Related: Carve This Spooky Frankenstein Pumpkin for Halloween

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Crow Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the free stencils

Get ready to spook friends and family with these eerie pumpkins. Set two etched pumpkins on chairs and wood pallets to create a festive display. Finish with uncarved pumpkins and a few scattered faux crow decorations ($19, Oriental Trading).

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Princess Pumpkins

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Your little prince and princess will be charmed by these pumpkins straight from a fairy tale. Pick a color palette—like the white, gold, and rosy pink shown here—then paint an assortment of pumpkins in your chosen hues. Decorate with ribbons, tiaras, stencils, paint pens, and more.

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Monogrammed Pumpkins

Credit: Alexandra Grablewski

Carve a monogram on pumpkins and place them on your front porch to welcome guests to your bewitching abode. Using a small, medium, and large pumpkin; carve the initials in different sizes and fonts. Layer the pumpkins on an old chair or stool to show off your handiwork.

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Candy Corn Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright

Place colorful no-carve candy corn pumpkins around your yard for fun Halloween outdoor decorations. Choose cone-shape pumpkins and clean their surfaces. Spray-paint the pumpkins to achieve the candy corn look.

Editor's Tip: Cover stems with painters tape to keep it clean.

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Hanging Bat Pumpkins

Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Get the free pattern

Skip the carving and cast a spell by drawing bats on white pumpkins using a permanent marker. To hang, cut a length of thick jute and knot one end through a large washer. Drill a hole in the top and bottom of each pumpkin and use wire to pull the twine through the holes.

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Cohesive Display

Credit: Adam Albright

Sticking to one symbol of Halloween, like the spiders pictured here, keeps your front porch display cohesive. Decorate pumpkins with plastic spiders and use a marker to add draw webs. Finish the display with white mums. Graphic and giddy—your porch never looked this good.

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Farmhouse Fall Porch

Credit: Carson Downing

This farmhouse pumpkin display is a spook-free way to decorate your entry for Halloween. On a wooden bench, arrange pillows, baskets of small gourds, pumpkins, and a throw blanket. Finish the arrangement with oversize pumpkins and fall leaves.

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Candy Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright

Give your porch a candy-coated glow with a trio of colorful painted pumpkins. Paint pumpkins orange, yellow, and white then use them to create this sweet Halloween front porch. Finish with a yarn-wrapped wreath in the same colors.

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House Number Pumpkin

Credit: Jay Wilde

Not all Halloween pumpkin displays are spooky! Create a seasonal front porch with mums, gourds, and a painted house number pumpkin. Simply use a black paint pen to freehand or stencil your house numbers on to a simple white pumpkin.

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Farmhouse Pumpkin Display

Credit: Carson Downing

Farmhouse decor is a popular trend this year, and the holidays are a fun time to employ the look. Arrange a few painted buffalo check pumpkins, white gourds, and seasonal mums. Finish the display with a handmade felt mum garland and a welcoming fall sign.

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Tiered Fall Display

Credit: Kate Sears

Fill a wire tiered plant stand on your porch to display your fresh fall finds, such as apples, foilage, pumpkins, and other gourds. Wooden bowls and vintage crocks add interest.

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Stacked Pumpkin Message

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the Free stencil

Create welcoming Halloween pumpkin decorations for guests and trick-or-treaters this year. Pick three short, wide pumpkins for this front porch display. Print the free pattern onto transfer paper. Transfer one word per pumpkin, and use black acrylic or crafts paint to fill in the outline. Stack pumpkins on an urn laced with creepy vines or spooky spiderwebs.

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Pumpkin Planter

Credit: Jay Wilde

Display a collection of various sizes and shapes of pumpkins for a beautiful outdoor Halloween decoration. Simply pile your gourds in a vintage wagon and place on your porch. That's it!

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Pumpkin Greeting

Credit: Helen Norman

What better way to welcome guests this fall than with a wheelbarrow filled with pumpkins and gourds? Use a paint pen to write a friendly greeting on one of the larger pumpkins. Choose a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes to make the display especially pretty.

Editor's Tip: Add a jack-o'-lantern to the pile to get ready for Halloween.

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By BH&G Holiday Editors