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Happy Halloooooooooooowe'en!

It is cackles and giggles galore this Hallowe'en. Pep up your pumpkins with ten top tips and there are spooky stories and ghostly claims to fame in the Top Tenuous.

It's cackles and giggles galore with Chris this Hallowe'en.

Pep up your pumpkins with ten top tips. There are spooky stories and ghostly claims to fame in the Top Tenuous, ooohhhh!!!!

Little Dracula, Harvey McAllister, tells us about turning up too early for Hallowe'en!

King of currency, the Royal Mint Museum's Kevin Clancy, has coin news!

Sam Burch - wonder-woman of the W.I. - tells us about rustling up new recruits.

And today's Pause for Thought is from the Canon Ann Easter.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Sara Bareilles

    Love Song

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
    • 1.
  • Bobby “Boris†Pickett & The Crypt Kickers

    The Monster Mash

    • Haloween Hits.
    • Rhino.
  • Boyzone

    Love Will Save The Day

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Music.
    • 1.
  • Paul Carrack

    That's All That Matters To Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Carrack-UK.
    • 001.
  • Neil Diamond

    I Am...I Said

    • Neil Diamond - The Ultimate Collectio.
    • Columbia/Mca.
  • Céline Dion

    Loved Me Back To Life

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
  • Electric Light Orchestra

    Rock 'n' Roll Is King

    • ELO's Greatest Hits Vol.2.
    • Epic.
  • David Essex

    Silver Dream Machine (Part 1)

    • 25 Years Of Rock'n'Roll: 1980 (Various Artists).
    • Connoisseur Collection.
    • 3.
  • Four Tops

    I Can't Help Myself

    • The Singles Collection.
    • Polygram TV.
  • The Human League

    Mirror Man

    • Rip It Up (Various Artists).
    • EMI.
  • Jackson Sisters

    I Believe In Miracles

    • 100% Pure Groove (Various Artists).
    • Telstar.
  • Chaka Khan

    I'm Every Woman

    • NOW Boogie Nights - Disco Classics (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • Led Zeppelin

    Rock And Roll

    • Led Zeppelin - Early Days.
    • Atlantic.
  • Level 42

    Running In The Family

    • The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 (1985-1989).
    • Cherry Red Records.
  • Lorde

    Royals

    • Pure Heroine.
    • Republic.
  • Vic Mizzy

    The Addams Family (Main Title)

    • Halloween Hits (Various Artists).
    • Rhino.
  • Olly Murs

    Dance With Me Tonight

    • In Case You Didn't Know.
    • Epic.
    • 24.
  • Noah and the Whale

    5 Years Time

    • (CD Single).
    • Mercury.
    • 1.
  • Billy Ocean

    Red Light Spells Danger

    • Billy Ocean - Love Is For Ever (L.I.F.
    • Jive.
  • Pulp

    Disco 2000

    • Hits.
    • Island.
    • 6.
  • Suzi Quatro

    Devil Gate Drive

    • The Greatest Hits Of 1974 (Various).
    • Premier.
  • S. J. Hawkins

    I Put A Spell On You

  • Emeli Sandé

    My Kind Of Love

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin.
    • 1.
  • Simply Red

    Money's Too Tight (To Mention)

    • Now 1985 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • R. Dean Taylor

    There's A Ghost In My House

    • And They Danced The Night Away.
    • Debutante.
  • Them

    Gloria

  • Toploader

    This Is The Night

    • (CD Single).
    • Underdogs Management Ltd.
  • Robbie Williams

    Go Gentle

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • Warren Zevon

    Werewolves Of London

    • Drive Time (Various Artists).
    • Now.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

From Canon Ann Easter, Chief Executive of a Charity and Chaplain to the Queen:

Ìý

It's All Saints or All Hallows' Day tomorrow, so today, October 31st is All Hollows' Eve, or, as we know it better, Halloween. Round our way, lots of shops have been selling weird luminous things – masks, long finger nails, flying bats and enormous plastic spiders webs – and you could be forgiven for thinking that Halloween is one of those spurious festivals invented recently with party manufacturers and card shops in mind – but actually, Halloween has been celebrated for hundreds of years.

Ìý

Ìý

This is the season of Remembrance, a time when we particularly think of those who have died and inevitably, thinking about their death brings to mind our own and some of the other dark and unpalatable issues that are part of our lives.

Ìý

Ìý

So I reckon that Halloween gives us a chance to play with those thoughts and fears and confront them – a bit like going on a roller coaster at the fair, or indeed, taking a ride on the ghost train; we scream and are horrified, but then find ourselves back on solid ground, in the light and everything’s all right again. Being surprised when someone in fancy dress leaps out at us, covered in mock blood, makes us gasp, then laugh – it's not real evil, just a parody. And that witch, threatening to cast a spell to turn us into candy floss, is just the child next door after some sweets. Phew!

Ìý

Ìý

All of creation has its death, its dark and decaying side – it's an inescapable part of life but, as a Christian, I believe that death does not have the last word because Jesus has shown us a new life after death. So I'm happy to have a game ofÌý ghoolies and ghosties and get my face covered in flour – as long as I can play the witch!

Broadcast

  • Thu 31 Oct 2013 06:30

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.