Prosecco and Pie: Double, Double Toil and Trouble; Fire Burn and Caldron Bubble!

I've never really understood why people make such a fuss about Halloween. Not only am I the biggest wimp ever, my family didn't celebrate Halloween when I was little, so naturally at the age of 22 I feel like I need to make up for lost time!

I invited a few of the girls round for a pumpkin carving session and bought the biggest pumpkin I could find (£2.50 from the cash and carry - I highly recommend it). It was literally so big I had to use a hacksaw to cut into it....

The girls settled on the traditional scary face, but I had a better idea...

Look familiar?

After toasting our pumpkin seeds and making the obligatory pumpkin soup (which by the way was a complete success despite my severe lack of cooking skills), it was time to get dressed up!

Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures on All Hallows Eve. The idea is to gather family and friends to pray for, and remember those who have died. The day is even a bank holiday in Mexico. The dead are honoured with ornately decorated sugar skulls, food, drink and flowers. To me, it seems like such a beautiful event (and because I am such a big wimp and the thought of plastering fake wounds all over my face scares me) so I decided to dress up as a sugar skull for Halloween this year, while Emily went as the beautiful Marie Antoinette.

I didn't fancy any of the bars in town, this year I wanted to try somewhere new and exciting. After getting our costumes on we headed to the BALTIC's Panic Room Party, which I have to say was the best Halloween party I have ever been to! The party was held in the Terrace, which boasts floor to ceiling glass walls and a heated outdoor area that overlooked the river Tyne. It was such a nice change from a stuffy, smelly bar in town and there were some fantastic costumes!