Halloween is fun and exciting holiday, full of mystery and fun rituals. One particularly famous aspect of Halloween is pumpkin carving or the creation of Jack O’ Lanterns. Originating in the U.K., carving gourds and other dense vegetables such as turnips, pumpkins, and various other vegetables became a popular practice around Halloween time in the 19th century (Wikipedia).
Halloween itself is thought to have originated from the Celtic culture, particularly Samhain (Wikipedia). This festival was seen as a time where the veil between the afterlife and our physical earth blurs. Supernatural beings, ghosts, for example, were believed to walk the earth amongst living beings on this day.
The original purpose of the Jack O’ Lantern was to emulate evil supernatural beings and ward off negative spirits. At some point, Christianity took hold of this practice and described the Jack O’ Lanterns not as methods to ward off evil beings but as representations of souls in purgatory. Jack O’ Lanterns are interesting because they are yet another example of Christianity integrating elements from ancient pagan rituals into its ideology and practices.
As Halloween became more popular, different countries adopted the pumpkin carving activity and developed different stories associated with the practice. One legend in particular became renowned and shot pumpkin carving into fame that has lasted hundreds of years. The tale is of Irish origin, and it is called “Stingy Jack”. Stingy Jack was not a well-liked man and became known for tricking the devil twice! When he passed away, he was caught in purgatory forever. To see, he fashioned a lantern out of a hollowed out turnip with a light made from an ember from hell. Over the years the story was modified and his lantern became coined as the Jack O’ Lantern.
Halloween has been and remains a beloved holiday with many fun traditions. One thing to remember as this holiday approaches is it’s important to be aware of the food waste that carving pumpkins can produce. So as the time to make our Jack O’ Lanterns approaches us let’s all remember to compost or properly dispose of our pumpkins. Alternatively, making baked goods out of pumpkin is always popular and a great way to celebrate the season!
