Hey everyone! Spooky season is just around the corner, so this is my time to shine! Last year was all about barn hexes so if you’re new to my blogs feel free to check it out! This year we’re switching it up and turning to something a little bit more universal and jumping right into the world of pumpkin carving.
A fun activity to do with friends and family, as well as a stunning display of artistic prowess by professional carvers, the practice of carving faces traces back to ancient times of Celtic origin. Originally, these faces were carved into hollowed out turnips and other root vegetables to light the way for good spirits.
But why are they called Jack-o-lanterns you might ask? I’ll tell you! Celtic folklore tells of a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the devil into drinking with him, but true to his name Jack did not want to pay for his drink and convinced the devil to turn into a coin. Once a coin, Jack put the devil inside his pocket beside a cross and would not let him free until the devil promised to leave him alone for a year, and if he died, to leave his soul alone. Once a year passed, Jack again tricked the devil by having him climb into a tree to pick fruit and quickly carving a cross into the trunk. This time Jack made the devil promise to leave him alone for ten years.
Soon after Jack perished, but God would not allow such an unsavory person into heaven, and the devil (annoyed by Jack’s tricks) refused to claim Jack’s soul. However, the devil took pity and gave Jack a burning coal, which he placed into a hollowed-out turnip to light his way while his ghost roams the Earth forever. Since then, beside lighting the way for good spirits, these scary turnip faces have been used to scare the mischief causing Jack away. That is until Irish immigrants arrived in America, where pumpkins became the main source of produce to carve. Pumpkins were much easier to handle than turnips and other root vegetables, and this tradition expanded into a well-loved fall tradition we see depicted in art, movies, and television.
Besides scary faces synonymous with Jack-o-Lanterns, pumpkins are now carved with witches, cats, and even pop culture icons. Large pumpkin carving competitions are held and displays erected each year to bring amazement and joy to many. So, this year, carve a pumpkin and check out the works of your friends, neighbors, and professionals but be sure to watch your back! You never know when Stingy Jack might show up!
