h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The neighbourhood was impressed by my pumpkin efforts last year:
http://www.flamingpie.memebot.com/Pumpkins.htm
(be patient while it loads - I forgot to optimise the jpegs)

This year we're offering to carve other peoples' pumpkins for them, in exchange for a donation to Pakistani and Indian Earthquake Victims. My kids have distributed leaflets to the local families. We'll be taking the proceeds to an Islamic Relief shop.

When I was young, pumpkins were unheard of, and we carved swedes. They were a bugger to hollow out and stank to high heaven when you lit the candle.

Trick and Treat is a relatively modern phenomenon in England, assimilated from watching likes of ET. But Scotland has always had a tradition of 'Guising'. Door-to-door sweetie beggars are expected to say a rhyme or sing a song or tell a joke before they get their booty.

What we did have in England was something caled Mischief Night. A week before Halloween, kids would play random tricks such as wrapping a dog turd in newspaper, setting it on someone's step, lighting the paper, ringing the bell and running away. This was folk tradition of the purest kind because it took place without the encouragement or even acknowledgement of adults.

Beats faffing around with these pesky Gnaarams any day!

Pumpins? Pumpkins!

Always especially embarassing in a title.

You can give me a luvverly pumpin' any time!