Oh boy, oh boy, look at those trees! Smell the air! You know what this means--fall is finally here! And the best part of fall, as we all know, is Halloween! Even more specific than that, however, is pumpkin carving.

Ah yes, pumpkin carving-- the mythical and ancient art of ruining a perfectly good vegetable with dollar store knives only to cram a candle into it and putting it on your porch only for a local hoodlum to smash it. But when you’re pumpkin shopping, you got to go with a breadth of knowledge unmatched by mere mortals. So I’m here to tell you the best kind of pumpkins that you should be looking for this Halloween season:

1. Big ol’ Pumpkins

What could beat the simplicity of a giant pumpkin?! It’s large, it’s in charge and it’s a gigantic canvas for you to go absolutely crazy with.

Look at all of that space! Maybe you can grab a couple of friends and each take a section, creating a one-of-a-kind pumpkin mural masterpiece! And, with all of those seeds inside, you can bake em’ and have roasted seed snacks for months. The only downsides to big pumpkins are the space they take up, potential rarity and price-point. Otherwise, the big ol’ pumpkin is a great addition to any October festivities.

2. Fake Pumpkins

So you don’t want to carve out time to deal with a real pumpkin. I get it-- October is a busy, busy month for most people. Luckily the magic of modern capitalism has blessed us with what I call “foam lifesavers”!

Fake pumpkins can be purchased at any major big box store for rather cheap. They also come in a variety of colors and materials to suit any need. They eliminate the mess and upkeep of a real pumpkin, while also being very stylish and aesthetically pleasing. And they’re great to give to little ones who don’t do well with the messiness of real pumpkins. However, you do miss out on the real feel of a true, blue pumpkin fresh from the field. But fake pumpkins can be a great alternative for the fast-paced lifestyle!

3. A Bunch of SMALL Pumpkins

LOOK AT HOW CUTE THEY ARE. Listen-- a big pumpkin is great and all, but sometimes you just can’t beat a bunch of the same thing in a small form factor. Little donut holes, little seashells and now even little pumpkins!

These can be great little accent pieces around the house and they are pretty cheap, all things considered. These, like the fake pumpkins, can be found at most big box stores. Sure, you can’t really carve them, but they're perfect if you’re looking for just a little Halloween flair for your home

4. Hybrid Pumpkins

Oh boy, the future truly is here! With the power of what we can only assume is ancient pumpkin magic (and maybe agricultural science), we have hybrid pumpkins. No, they don’t run on electricity and gasoline. No, they have nothing to do with Linkin Park’s hit Album “Hybrid Theory”. They’re pumpkins that have been hybridized with other types of gourds to create visually striking, multi-colored, oddly shaped super pumpkins.

Imagine the possibilities! You could take a green hybrid pumpkin and carve it to look like Frankenstein’s Monster! Or take the yellow one and carve it into a Minion for the little Minion lover in your life! These, like the big ol’ pumpkins, are not easy to find but are very good if you want to really stand out on your block.

5. Classic Pumpkin

Oh, who are we kidding?! You don’t want to change stuff about your classic Halloween! The regular pumpkin has been a staple of every October since you can remember. Smooth, long stemmed and ready to be carved-- the classic pumpkin truly is an American Halloween icon. You can get these for super cheap at any big box store or at your local pumpkin patch.

Now go get your tools and get to carving! Hey, where did the scooper go?