Jack O'Lanterns

            We’re about midway through October and squarely into Halloween season.  I’m not a big fall person, but Halloween is fun.  I like corn mazes, scary stories, pumpkins and all that jazz.  For the past several years, my husband and I have carved Jack O’Lanterns together.  They’re fancy and fun and grow mold in about four days.  

                Ever wonder where Jack O’Lanterns came from?  I went searching and found a short blurb on www.history.com (http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history).  Now, any television station that willingly puts on a series of shows about “ancient giant aliens in biblical times” earns an eyebrow raise from me, but I’m trying really hard to put those experiences behind me.  

                It starts with a guy named Stingy Jack who lived in Ireland.  He invited the devil for a drink but wasn’t keen on paying for said drink (because he's stingy, see).  Instead, he suggested that the devil turn into a coin to pay the tab.  Upon doing so, Jack put the coin in his pocket next to a cross so the devil could not change back.  Eventually Jack freed him and made an agreement that the devil would not come looking for him for ten years.  

                Unfortunately, Jack died not long after.  God refused to accept Jack because of his devil dealings and the devil couldn’t go back on his word.  Instead, Jack was sent back to the land of the living with only a lit coal to light his way.  He placed the coal inside a hollowed turnip and roamed the land.  He gained the nickname “Jack of the Lanterns,” which was shortened to just Jack O’Lantern.  

Kids in Ireland and Scotland carved turnips to place in their windows to scare off Jack (or any other evil spirits).  England prefers to carve beets.  Following immigration to America, the tradition became to carve pumpkins.  

Did you know that a pumpkin is a fruit?  I always thought veggie.  Huh.

Anyway, here are our Jack O’Lanterns from the past few years.

My husband and I have this pumpkin carving kit: LINK.  Literally, it was the best $5 ever spent.  That long flat green scoop cleans out the guts perfectly and those weak looking knives are excellent at cutting out designs.  I highly recommend buying it.