Beware as dusk falls, because tonight’s the night they come a-knocking.

If you haven’t already been deluged with witches and demons putting in an early visit over the weekend, they’ll be out in force this evening for a spot of trick or treating.

I haven’t quite felt the magic this year. Usually, I’m all up for it, putting pumpkins on our garden wall, rows of tealights along the windowsill, pumpkin fairy lights around the door and answering the door with an armful of goodies.

Last year, I had pumpkin carving envy, as friends shared photos of the intricate images they’d managed to carve into vegetables.

My traditional jagged smile with two triangles for eyes looked a poor cousin to the landscapes of witches flying booms across the moonlit sky.

This year, I’ve barely been able to summon up the enthusiasm to carve one. The only thing I’m really excited about is that there’s more pumpkin recipes about than ever before (spiced pumpkin cake anyone?), which says more about my ever-expanding waistline than my love of Halloween. Am I humbug or has the novelty just worn off?

I think it’s more to do with the fact most of the children we know well have grown up – they’re all in their mid-teens or older and far too cool to be dressing up as Dracula and knocking on doors for a bucketful of sweets.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still lovely to see the effort children have gone to but without knowing who they are, the magic is a little lost.

But I know deep down that by the time the sun sets, I’ll be pretty upset if there isn’t at least one knock at the door.

Because if not, I’ve a sackful of Milky Ways and jelly snakes to get through in the next few weeks.

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So that’s it. BBC Bake Off is no more.

I feel like I’ve lost an old friend, one who has maybe moved abroad and I don’t know if I’m ever going to see them again, and even if I do, they’ll probably be just that little bit different.

Did it come as a surprise when Candice Brown won? Any one who can make a pub out of gingerbread is always going to get my vote.

As for her ever-changing lipstick, well you know that somewhere around the corner there isn’t just a book on baking in the offing, but a whole range of make-up that smells of marzipan.
Good luck to her.