Pumpkin's big day

Halloween is the time of year when the pumpkin really gets its chance to shine. Sure, pumpkin pie is a traditional part of Thanksgiving dinner, but it's always going to play second fiddle to the turkey. All that changes on All Hallow's Eve, when the pumpkin is thrust into the spotlight - in fact, sometimes it is the spotlight.

This week's poll asked readers if they would be carving a pumpkin this Halloween. Forty-four per cent are sharpening their knives, while five per cent don't know and more than half - 51 per cent - were either skipping the practice or opting to keep their gourds au natural.

Yourhome and Parentcentral are both serving up a bunch of great options for your Halloween pumpkins, including stencils, a how-to video and some tricks for decorating your pumpkin without dealing with all that mush.

And, be sure to vote in this week's poll, which asks if you would purchase stigmatized real estate - that is, a home with a history of murder, suicide, hauntings or inexplicable activities.

Check out the story of one woman whose dream home had a haunted history - which eventually caused her to put it up for sale - and read columnist Bob Aaron's 'buyer beware' warning about stygmatized homes.