Jack O’Lantern
With Halloween this week, I thought it would be interesting to dig into the origin of the carved pumpkin – or rather the Jack O’ Lantern. Where did this carving concept come from? What was its purpose? And how popular is it around the world?
Only a knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin… Simone Schwarz-Bart.
As a child, I loved carving pumpkins every Halloween (and scooping out the seeds to roast into a tasty little treat). I wasn’t the most creative carver back then (and with no internet, finding inspiration wasn’t as easy as it is today). Still, the whole process was such fun and filled me with excitement as we prepared for that spooky night of trick-or-treating.
Where did the tradition of carving pumpkins come from? After a bit of research, I discovered that the custom actually originated in Ireland. Long before pumpkins were used, people carved large turnips and other root vegetables into ghoulish faces, lighting them with candles to ward off evil spirits (more about that below). When Irish immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins—larger and easier to carve—made the perfect substitute, giving rise to the beloved Halloween tradition we know today.
Now, where did the name Jack O’ Lantern come from?
According to history.com, it comes from a 17th century Irish Folktale – named Stingy Jack. According to history.com, there was a man nicknamed Stingy Jack. He had invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin so Jack could pay with. The Devil did so, but Jack decided to keep the money and put it in his pocket next to a silver cross – which prevented the Devil from changing back.
Jack eventually freed the Devil – with the condition that he would not bother Jack for 1 year and if Jack died in the time, he would also not claim his soul.
The following year, Jack tricked the Devil again into climbing a tree to pick some fruit. While up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the bark so the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him – again – for 10 more years.
Jack soon died, and as legend states, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. However, the Devil could also not claim his soul due to their arrangement so he sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has roamed the earth ever since.
That’s actually how Jack of the Lantern, or Jack O’Lantern, got his name! People began carving spooky faces into vegetables and setting them on their windowsills to scare away Stingy Jack and any evil spirits that might be lurking nearby.
Sidenote: To read more about how Halloween originated, click HERE to read last years blog.
So, this Halloween, will you be carrying on the old Irish tradition of scaring away Stingy Jack and other mischievous spirits by carving a face into your pumpkin? What design will you choose — something spooky and spine-chilling, sweet and cute, a detailed masterpiece, or the classic triangle-eyed jack-o’-lantern?
We love carving pumpkins every year! Even though our kids are now in their twenties, we still make time for our annual pumpkin-carving night. We’ll put on a spooky movie or some Halloween-themed music, share plenty of laughs, and create new family memories together—it’s one of our favorite traditions.
If you’ve carved any fun or creative pumpkins, I’d love to see them! Click below to share a photo of yours. You’ll also find a collage of some of our past creations below. We haven’t decided on our 2025 pumpkin theme yet, but one thing’s for sure—there will be lots of laughter and creativity as we carve the night away!
