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Halloween decorations are placed at the South Portico of the White House in Washington, D.C. Oct. 31, 2014. Getty Images

As one of the most festive holidays of the year, Halloween serves as the perfect excuse to go overboard with decorations. Whether decorating with pretty pumpkins or scary skeletons, there are tons of ways to make a home ghoulishly gorgeous for the spookiest season.

For people who want a more sophisticated--yet still festive--vibe, there are plenty of options. For the front door, Country Living suggested decorating with handmade spiders and black and white pumpkins, instantly setting a spooky mood. Cute little ghosts made of cheesecloth can be hung from chandeliers, and adding black candlesticks, frosted pinecones and mini pumpkins to a coffee table is an elegant and fun idea. Create a spooky side table by decorating with an old Victorian book, faux cobwebs and black candles. For more cute and sophisticated Halloween decorating tips, click here.

For people wanting to create a truly haunted house, there are plenty of do-it-yourself decorations that are cheap and easy. Create a “head in jar” by sticking a laminated piece of paper featuring someone’s face in a jar filled with water. For an eerie twist on the traditional jack-o-lantern, shove a set of fake vampire teeth inside a carved out pumpkin.

“Glowing ghosts” from marthastewart.com are likely to be a hit, especially with kids. To create the illusion of floating, glowing ghosts, snap a couple of green, eight hour light sticks so they glow and insert them into a white balloon. Then, inflate the balloon, tie it closed, and use a marker to create a spooky face on the balloon. Attach the ghosts to a wall with transparent tape and voila! A spooky masterpiece. Another easy project that is fun for kids is the “petrifying potion display.” Fill specimen jars with water and add food coloring to create an unnatural tint. Arrange lotus pods, poppy pods and coneflower heads within. More creepy, do-it-yourself Halloween decorating tips can be found here and here.