Pumpkin goes a long way

Halloween, two babies under two and what do you get? A party! Yay! Kick start at 3pm so kiddies can eat, play and wreak spooky havoc before bed. Yawn.

Party on a budget? Oh yes you can. One roll of lining paper turned into happy ghosts, grinning skulls and pumpkin heads thanks to the miracle of scissors and a felt tip pen. Actual pumpkins leering from the mantelpiece, apples dangling from string and a few carefully located candles. Well you don't want a two year old arsonist on your hands, totally ruins the mood. I know Halloween is supposed to be scary but it isn't supposed to be lethal.

All that pumpkin flesh baked and prodded into cupcakes, soup and lasagne, with the addition of just a few affordable extras like goats cheese. Inspirational final foodie touch - sausage pumpkins with homemade sausage meat and a pack of readymade puff pastry. All up prob cost about £15 to feed everyone - everyone being about 14 adult bods and 4 kiddies. Not bad at all. Booze was a bit extra but hey, what's a party without a drinkie?

But you know what, money spent isn't important when you have such a great time with friends and family. It was spook-tastic fright-fest.