It is an old Irish folk tale that explains the creation of the carved out pumpkin known as a jack-o-lantern. Stingy Jack was a mean and sneaky farmer who loved to play nasty tricks on his friends and family. One day Stingy Jack tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. As soon as the Devil was off the ground, Jack nailed crosses around the trunk so that the Devil could not come down and pass over the crosses. After much bartering, the Devil agreed that Stingy Jack would never pass the gates and enter hell. The Devil would never take his soul.
Many years later Stingy Jack died. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven. He was turned away, but the Devil had promised not to take his soul. He had no where to go. He was lost in perpetual darkness between heaven and hell. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light. The Devil laughed and tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Simultaneously God tossed him a hollowed out turnip in which to keep the ember and protect his hands. Jack cut slits in the turnip to let the light shine out and he began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place.
On All Hallows Eve, the Irish would hollow out turnips, gourds, potatoes, and beets and put lights in them to ward off Stingy Jack and warn him to stay away.
Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800's and discovered the pumpkin was much bigger and could carry a much brighter light. Stingy Jack was credited with his 'lantern' and the name Jack O'Lantern was born.
Think about Stingy Jack as you make a few memorable moments carving your Halloween pumpkins this fall season!
Do you have any great stories or pictures of Jack O'Lanterns that you carved? Please share the pictures with us here, on our Memorable Moments Facebook Page!
Many years later Stingy Jack died. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven. He was turned away, but the Devil had promised not to take his soul. He had no where to go. He was lost in perpetual darkness between heaven and hell. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light. The Devil laughed and tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Simultaneously God tossed him a hollowed out turnip in which to keep the ember and protect his hands. Jack cut slits in the turnip to let the light shine out and he began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place.
On All Hallows Eve, the Irish would hollow out turnips, gourds, potatoes, and beets and put lights in them to ward off Stingy Jack and warn him to stay away.
Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800's and discovered the pumpkin was much bigger and could carry a much brighter light. Stingy Jack was credited with his 'lantern' and the name Jack O'Lantern was born.
Think about Stingy Jack as you make a few memorable moments carving your Halloween pumpkins this fall season!
Do you have any great stories or pictures of Jack O'Lanterns that you carved? Please share the pictures with us here, on our Memorable Moments Facebook Page!
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17 comments:
I really love this story and I definitely never knew this! It is great to hear about other culture's folklore and how it becomes our American traditions. Just goes to show how this country really is a melting pot of ideas, cultures, customs and language!
that's so cool! thanks for sharing that great Halloween story!!
Great story. Kind of glad the Halloween Turnip didn't catch on . . .
This is such a great story! I come from a pretty solid Irish background, and I was not aware of this folklore. I have heard of the Gaelic Will o' the Wisp, which is the "fools light" that flickers over the marshes of Ireland -- it was believed to be caused by spirits of lost souls. But this Jack o' Lantern story is new to me, thanks for sharing!
In Providence, we celebrate Halloween in a SPECTACULAR way - The Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular!! Thousands of carved and illuminated pumpkins are on display from October 8 - November 1 at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. Hundreds of them depict people, places and scenes from popular culture to old-time favorites and everything in between – all with painstaking detail and amazing intricacy.
Check out a Sneak Peek at: http://www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org/jols/peek.cfm
Happy Halloween!
What a great story! Finding the perfect pumpkins and carving them has always been a family tradition.
Some years we also roasted the seeds.
I will pass the folklore tale onto my family who will enjoy hearing how it all began!
Learn something new every day!! I have never hear that story. Carving pumpkins too much work for me, but I love the roasted seeds!!
So much for the idea that it was a lantern to help us kids see the way for tricks or treating!
Wow- what an awesome story! An a person who does have some Irish in their blood I had no idea about this!
It's about that time again to start carving those pumpkins- Happy Halloween!
Great story. Really enjoyed it!!
This reminds me of pumpkin carving time with my kids. Great moments that include lessons: enjoy the moment and be grateful for those moments.
I just enjoyed a hayride with my son and we went into a field and picked our own pumpkin. Of course, he picked the largest one he could find. We carved it last night and had to turn out every light in the house to test it out. This was the best part for my 5 year old. It was a big day for him and my wife loved the baked seeds. Thanks Jack for the tradition!
That is an interesting story.
Halloween is my favorite holiday!
this reminds me of when my sister came in home in pumkin driven by mice that turned into horses. Damn slipper never fit
I'd always heard that the jack o' lantern, while it is true that they were originally made of turnips, came around because during the "Burning Times" as many witches call the time of Witch Burnings throughout europe, Practioners of the "old ways" (which the early Christian church deemed evil, and labled witchcraft) would go out at night on October 31st (Samhain) and visit the graves of their ancestors and loved ones who had passed on. This was an ancient pagan tradition, of honoring your ancestors on the Celtic New Year. They had to go out when it was dark, as to be caught doing so in those days, meant being burned at the stake. So they hollowed out gourds, and put candles in them, and dressed in dark clothes, to go to the burial grounds. This way, they could see their way, and, not be too clearly seen themselves.
Like "Rick's" comment above, my sons and I went to a pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful day, and we took a tractor pulled hay wagon to the field of pumpkins. At the end of the hay ride they weigh the pumkins and charge you "per pound." I think I spent $50.00 on two pumkins that day. The one was so big I nearly pulled my back out getting it in the back of my Honda!
Can anyone share a great recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds? I tried it and my kids almost threw up!
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