The Jack-o’-Lantern: A Halloween Tradition
Trick or treating, caramel apples, corn mazes, hayrides, bonfires, mulled cider, and watching scary movies are just some of the great activities associated with this time of year. One of my favorites is carving pumpkins. Carved displays of scary faces, creepy spiders, ghosts and goblins, and wicked witches are just some of the creative Jack-o’-Lanterns that are found on neighborhood doorsteps. It is a tradition that has been passed down for generations and can create quite a competitive spirit between carvers.
We know that pumpkins go hand-in-hand with this time of year, but they have been around for many years. A native plant to North America, pumpkins date back to 7,000 BC in parts of Mexico. Today, more than 800 million pumpkins are produced in the United States for picking each October. Morton, Illinois is considered the “Pumpkin Capital of the World” with 85% of pumpkin production. In addition, October 26th is recognized as National Pumpkin Day.
So, with all this pumpkin production, how did pumpkin carving get its start and where does the Jack-o’-Lantern come from? One theory is an Irish myth dating back to the Nineteenth Century. As the story goes, Stingy Jack, the town drunk, bargains with the Devil, which is never a good idea. When Jack died, he was not allowed into heaven or hell and was doomed to roam the Earth in the dark of night with only a burning coal to light his path. Jack put the coal in a carved out turnip and Jack of the Lantern was born. It is now simply referred to as Jack-o’-Lantern.
Over time, the story of Stingy Jack has evolved. In Ireland and Scotland, people began carving scary faces in turnips or potatoes and placed them outside their front doors or in their windows to ward off Stingy Jack or any other evil spirits. In parts of England, they used beets or other common vegetables as their Jack-o’-Lanterns.
As immigrants from these countries made their way to America, they brought the Jack-o’-Lantern tradition with them. They soon found that pumpkins were in abundance and they were much easier to carve, so a new tradition began. Pumpkins were much easier to work with and it was a natural alternative. The top of the pumpkin was cut off to form a lid, the insides were scooped out, and a candle was placed inside to create the iconic light source.
As Autumn continues to spread its beauty in your neighborhood, may you enjoy gathering around your kitchen table with family and friends to create your own Jack-o’-Lantern that will find its place on your doorstep or in your window…not necessarily to ward off evil spirits, but to spread the feeling of the season. It goes by so quickly but next year is not far away for another creative masterpiece.