By Monica Ewing, Sunset senior designer

For those of you who aren't in a rush to decorate for Christmas, give your pumpkins one last hurrah before everything becomes tinsel and snowflakes. Remember: Fall isn't over until Dec. 22, and pumpkins aren't just for Halloween.

Pumpkin vases
I carved out two medium-sized pumpkins just big enough to fit a medium-sized wide-mouth canning jar inside. Then I placed the jars, and filled them with water, plant food, and long-lasting mini carnations (from Safeway). When it's time to decorate for Christmas, mix the carnations in one big vase, and you're ready for the holidays. Here are some tips to extend vase life.

Candle holders
I used squat pumpkins and 2 1/4-inch-wide pillar candles. I carved out a hole that was just big enough to hold the candle. When carving the hole, err on the smaller side and adjust as needed.

Mini menagerie
I arranged a variety of small pumpkins and gourds in a glass cylinder. (All the pumpkins and gourds that I used are from Farmer John's in Half Moon Bay).

Here's another great tabletop idea from Jess Chamberlain: Make your own menorah.