October 04, 2021 • Tupac Bruch

Why Is Pumpkin Carving a Halloween Tradition?

Carved pumpkins are Halloween standards, but how did the jack-o'-lantern tradition get started? Learn about the history of Halloween and pumpkin carving.

Why are Pumpkin Traditional?

For many of us, carving pumpkins is a must-do Halloween tradition. But have you ever wondered how the holiday tradition started? The history of Halloween as we know it is based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain.

Celebrated at the end of summer, Samhain was a time to honor the deceased. Celts believed that from dusk on October 31 until the dusk of November 1, souls of those who had died that year would pass on, meaning it was also when ghosts would be most present.

To ward away evil spirits, people placed carved jack-o'-lanterns on porches and in windows. Their creations were made from carved turnips, beets, or potatoes with burning lumps of coal inside them to add light.

Why Are They Called Jack-o'-Lanterns?

The term "jack-o'-lantern" is believed to have originated from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who played tricks on everyone. When he died, Jack was denied entry into both heaven and hell and was forced to roam the world as a ghost who carried a lantern made from a carved turnip.

People used to carve turnips and other vegetables on Halloween until pumpkins (which offered more space for carving) became more available. These carved pumpkin creations eventually became known as jack-o'-lanterns, because of Stingy Jack, who carried around his carved lantern.

How Jack-o'-Lanterns Came to the United States

Irish immigrants brought Halloween to America during the 1800s. When these settlers arrived in the United States, they discovered pumpkins make perfect jack-o'-lanterns. Today, the pumpkin carving tradition remains synonymous with Halloween.

In fact, the majority of the 1.5 billion pounds of fresh pumpkin varieties grown in the United States each year are sold for Halloween. Pumpkin carving is also popular in Ireland, England, and other parts of Europe. This year, try to create your own Halloween jack-o'-lanterns.

Why Do We Carve Pumpkins at Halloween?

The jack-o’-lantern has a long history with Halloween, although our favorite demonic faces haven’t always been carved out of pumpkins.

Their origin comes from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for his own monetary gain. When Jack died, God didn’t allow him into heaven, and the Devil didn’t let him into hell, so Jack was sentenced to roam the earth for eternity.

In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack’s wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o’-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.

But how did jack-o’-lanterns become associated with Halloween? Halloween is based on the Celtic festival Samhain, a celebration in ancient Britain and Ireland that marked the end of summer and the beginning of the new year on November 1. It was believed that during Samhain the souls of those who had died that year traveled to the otherworld and that other souls would return to visit their homes.

In the 8th century CE, the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints’ Day, a day celebrating the church’s saints, to November 1. This meant that All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) fell on October 31. Traditions from Samhain remained, such as wearing disguises to hide yourself from the souls wandering around your home. The folklore about Stingy Jack was quickly incorporated into Halloween, and we’ve been carving pumpkins—or turnips—ever since.

How to make a pumpkin lantern

Create a golden glow when entertaining this Halloween with a beautiful homemade pumpkin lantern. Grab a small pumpkin and a sharp knife, then follow these steps to make a Halloween jack o'lantern.