Two local women are putting the `spirit' back into All Hallow's Eve by treating hundreds of revellers to enchanting Hallowe'en delights.

And anyone who has casts an eye on their bewitching creations cannot help but fall under their magically spell.

Patti-Jean Millett, of Princess Estate, Pembroke, has been delighting locals for more than ten years with her boo-tiful decorations and homemade goodies.

"I do it every year because I like Hallowe'en,'' said the mother of four and grandmother of two. "Some people look at the negative aspects of Halloween, I just remember the fun I use to have as a child on Hallowe'en. I wanted my children and grandchildren to have that type of good-natured fun.

"Going out trick-or-treating is all part of being a kid, like the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Children these days are growing up too fast.'' To ensure that her family, friends and neighbours have a happy Hallowe'en, Mrs. Millett pours her heart and soul into concocting a spellbinding brew for October 31.

"It takes a few weeks to set everything up,'' she explained. "I usually start on the first or second of October and do a little decorating each day.

"But sometimes the weather gets bad and blows it all away and I have to go out there and put it all back together.'' Mrs. Millett's creativity is not just limited to the exterior of her home -- inside also gets an enchanting dose of Hallowe'en allure.

And she shuddered at the thought of estimating how much money she has spent on decorations and other goodies over the years.

"I buy decorations whenever I see something I like, so over the years I have accumulated quite a collection.

"Family and friends even pick stuff up for me if they see something they know I would like.'' Once her home is all decorated, Mrs. Millett said she then sets about preparing for the evening of October 31. "I start baking three days before Hallowe'en,'' she explained."I will make cupcakes, cookies and start filling candy bags. "The night before Hallowe'en I make my pumpkin pies and I decorate my cupcakes. "On Hallowe'en, as soon as I get home from work I start popping popcorn. I also make several big round pans of Shepherd's pie and I grate cheese on the top and cut out eyes, a nose and mouth so that they look like pumpkins.

"I serve it to my family and friends, since they all come around to help give out candy and make popcorn.'' And Mrs. Millett's hard work does not go unappreciated -- each year hundreds of people from around the Island descend upon her home to feast their eyes, and tummys, on her vast array of Hallowe'en treats.

"I think I have at least a couple hundred people come by each Hallowe'en -- I do about 150 candy bags, about six dozen cupcakes, a couple dozen cookies and we are popping popcorn all night long -- I can't keep tack of the numbers.

"The little ones come just before dark and then it is nonstop until after 9 p.m.'' Anyone who travels through Flatts Village has certainly been bewitched by Phyllis Flood's spook-tacular Hallowe'en decorations.

"I've only been decorating the house for a couple of years,'' she said.

"Some ideas I just come up with and some I copy from pictures -- the big wooden ones I make myself.

"I just came back from the States where I picked up some more decorations.'' Mrs. Flood, the mother of three and grandmother of four, admitted that her popular cut-out wooden creations were a labour of love.

"It can take a few days just to paint them,'' she pointed out. "Once they are dry they have to be varnished and that can take three or four days.'' Trick-or-treaters also flock to Mrs. Flood's hilltop home, on North Shore Road in Smith's, to take in the wonderful Hallowe'en sights.

"Kids, from little to big, come by and look at the decorations,'' she said.

"Some are adventurous and come up the driveway to get a good look at them.'' And thanks to word of mouth, Mrs. Flood said that she often gets stopped on the streets by people who thank her for all of her hard work and ask her what she has planned for next year.

"I've kind of created a monster,'' she chuckled. "Now everyone expects us to come up with something fantastic.

"Every year I just add more decorations to my stock.'' HALLOWE'EN RECIPES ON PAGE 41 .

Photos by David Skinner MONSTER BASH -- Children from all over the Island descend upon Patti Jean Millett's Pembroke home for `spook-tacular' Hallowe'en treats. Pictured left to right are Kaycee Morton and Kijaun Millett enjoying a tasty cup of witch's brew with some Hallowe'en friends.

PUMPKIN PATCH -- These friendly jack-o-lanterns will greet trick-treaters who visit Phyllis Flood's Flatt's home this Hallowe'en.