Pumpkin carving is a Halloween tradition that dates back centuries, and even if people originally carved turnips, carving pumpkins is a part of the holiday that lots of people enjoy. Whether you’re gutting the pumpkin, baking the seeds, or carving a design, it can be a very fun experience.
The tradition of carving faces into vegetables began hundreds of years ago when the Celtics and Irish would carve faces into vegetables, main turnips, and fill them with embers from a fire to ward off evil spirits. It was also an end-of-the-season celebration before the winter months came. Many people believed the veil between the living and the dead was the thinnest at this time, so many carved the turnips to ward off dark spirits.
According to legends from Irish folklore, the first Jack-o’-Lantern wasn’t a pumpkin, but a man named Stingy Jack. Jack had invited the devil out for a drink and tricked him into turning himself into a coin to pay but pocketing the coin instead. In his pocket was also a silver cross, preventing him from changing back. Eventually, Jack let the devil go, but under the conditions that he would not be bothered for one year and that the devil would not claim his soul when he passed. The next year after this, Jack tricks the devil into climbing up a tree, carving a cross to keep him from coming down, and makes the devil swear he won’t bother him for another 10 years. Jack died shortly after that, But god would not accept such a tricky man into heaven.
While the legend varies in many ways depending on who tells the story, they almost always end with Jack cursed to roam the earth, sent with burning coal to light his way. He carved a turnip to place the coal in and is known to wander Earth with this turnip forever.
Pumpkin carving can be a fun tradition if you don’t already do it at Halloween, it can keep you entertained for at least an hour or so. It can be difficult for young kids since they can’t carve, but at our age, pumpkin carving can be a fun experience and a way to express yourself. Whether you’re making your pumpkin scary or cute, funny or not, simple or complex, pumpkin carving is a fun experience you can have with your friends.
