Something special happened at Millbank this week when black bin bags filled with pumpkins started making their way home with our staff members. The company came up with a fun idea - everyone who wanted to take part would get a pumpkin to carve over the weekend, but nobody would know whose was whose!

Each person got their pumpkin in the same black binbag, making sure everything stayed completely secret. With a whole weekend ahead of them, everyone headed home ready to get creative with their carving tools. The best part was that no one knew which pumpkin belonged to which colleague, so everyone could let their imagination run wild without worrying about being judged.

Come Monday morning, the office was in for a treat as all the carved pumpkins arrived. As the day went on, the office got a spooky makeover. The regular lights were turned down low, and candles were lit inside each pumpkin, and everyone kept wandering over to take another look.

It was amazing to see how different each pumpkin turned out. Some people went for the classic scary face, while others created amazing detailed patterns that must have taken ages to get right. There were funny faces, spooky scenes, and even some pumpkins that told little stories through their carvings.

When Tuesday came around, it was time for everyone to vote for their favourite. People took their time walking around the display, really looking at each pumpkin before making their choice. Because nobody knew who had carved which pumpkin, everyone had to vote just based on which ones they thought looked the best.

The whole competition has turned out to be about much more than just carving pumpkins. It's got people from different parts of the company talking to each other, making guesses about who might have carved which pumpkin, and sharing laughs about their own carving adventures at home. Some people had never even carved a pumpkin before, while others turned out to be secret pumpkin carving experts!

The office feels different now - in a good way. There's a buzz of excitement as everyone waits to find out who carved which pumpkin and who will win. But really, the best part hasn't been about winning at all. It's been about everyone having fun together, getting creative, and turning our regular office into something a bit special for a few days.

Now we just have to wait and see who wins, though with all the fun everyone's had and the amazing pumpkins on display, it feels like we're all winners already. One thing's for sure - next year's competition is going to have a lot to live up to!