Kids around my way, at least the older ones, go for these grizzly and disgusting looking monsters and aliens with slimy and sharp teeth. Wouldn't like to bump into them in the night.
In sunny southern California fall doesn't seem to start for me until Halloween, when it is usually windy and a little chilly (unless we have a Santa Anna condition which is a warm wind from the desert)
My kids are still into carving the pumpkins themselves, dont' need my help anymore. We like to roast the seeds, (pepitas). I don't know if many other Americans like to do that.
judy