People have been carving jack-o’-lanterns for centuries, but not always from pumpkins. The tradition originates from the Irish legend about “Stingy Jack” who cheated the Devil twice and got away with it. According to legend, Stingy Jack asked the Devil to drink with him. True to his appellation, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his beverage, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy both of their drinks. Once the Devil complied, Jack decided to forgo the drink and keep the money, and, putting it into his pocket next to a silver cross, he prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.
Jack finally released the Devil under the condition that he would leave Jack alone for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. When the Devil returned after a year, Jack again tricked him in to climbing into a tree for some fruit. While he was in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the bark so that he could not come down until the Devil promised not to bother Jack for 10 more years.
However, when he died shortly after, the Devil wouldn’t let him into hell, and God wouldn’t let him into heaven. Thus his soul was doomed to roam the earth with only a burning coal to light his way, which he placed into a carved-out turnip. This transient ghostly figure became known as “Jack of the Lantern.”
All over the United Kingdom, people began crafting their own versions of Jack’s lantern by carving intimidating faces into turnips, beets or potatoes and placing them into windows and doorways to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. Irish, Scottish and English immigrants brought the tradition to America in the 19th century where they discovered that pumpkins, a native fruit, was perfect for the task.
For tips and twists on how to carve your own pumpkin this year, read our blog, Cola Town {Curated}, on ColumbiaMetro.com.
