Harvest the last of your veggies. Some root crops can be left in the ground through November as long as the ground doesn't freeze solid. If you have a lot of green tomatoes and a sudden child kills the plants, you can try to ripen the tomatoes in a brown paper bag on your kitchen window. Or, you can find a recipe for fried green tomatoes and enjoy them that way.
Autumn is a good time to work on the hardscape of your garden whether it be painting a trellis, installing a new patio or deck, or refurbishing a pathway. The weather is cooler so it's easier to do this heavy work and you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor with the first warm days of spring.
Fallen leaves should be removed from your lawn but don't really need to be picked up from around beds. They can serve as a mulch. Shredded leaves can be added to your compost pile or put out to be collected and composted by the town. If the leaves show any sign of disease, however, do not put them in your compost pile as you'll be passing on the disease to next year's plants.
If you don't cut back perennial flowers, the birds can enjoy the seeds in fall and winter. Plus, the seed heads provide an interesting texture to your winter garden.
Continue mowing your lawn as long as it continues to grow. An early winter may mean you stop in late October or early November. A late winter will have you out mowing into December.
If you decide that you want a living Christmas tree, that is one which still has its roots attached, and you plan to plant it, autumn is a good time to select its future outdoor home. If possible, dig the hole so that it will be ready. This may not be possible if a hard freeze comes along in December making it impossible to backfill after planting the tree. Then you need to keep it in a sheltered location until you can plant it in early spring.
Mid-December is a good time to prune your holly bushes if they need it. You can use the cuttings as holiday decorations. Don't do this too early, or the cuttings will dry up before the holidays. When cut, put them in a vase of water to keep them looking good as long as you can.
Winterize your water feature(s). If they are small and potentially can be damaged by the extreme cold, drain them and bring them into an unheated garage or shed. This is especially important if your water feature is made of ceramic. If this is contrary to manufacturer's instructions, then always follow the manufacturer's directions.
If you have tender plants in your water feature, you need to remove them (or be prepared to replace them next year). If you have fish and the water feature is deep they'll survive under the ice in a semidormant state. If the water feature is shallow, you'll need to bring the fish into the house in an aquarium.
Outdoor water faucets should be turned off (from the inside) and hoses brought into a garage or shed for the winter. This will probably be one of the last things you do in your garden since a dry autumn will mean you need to continue providing some supplemental water to your plants. This is especially true if you've done some autumn planting.
Enjoy the holidays and hope that your friends and relatives give you garden-related "stuff" as presents.

Courtesy of www.northshoreoflongisland.com

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