Learn more about artsandculture with this collection
Navigating and enjoying the thrill of horror and scare experiences
Historical knowledge of Halloween and its origins
Understanding and appreciating Halloween traditions worldwide
The history of jack-o’-lanterns
- A jack-o’-lantern is, as the name might suggest, a lantern—one made out of a root vegetable.
- 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.
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How jack-o’-lanterns become associated with Halloween
- Halloween is based on the Celtic festival Samhain. 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,...
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Jack-o’-lanterns in other cultures
- Lighting candles is a near-universal way to beckon the dead in cultures that still call them to return for one night. For instance, you can see this custom in the Mexican Día de Muertos.
- But only the Celtic culture uses imitation skulls called jack-o’-lanterns to we...
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How jack-o’-lanterns have changed throughout history
The pumpkin aspect of the tradition is uniquely American. When Europeans came to America, they discovered pumpkins, a Native American crop that, besides being tasty, they recognized would make fabulous jack-o’-lanterns.
The spooky history behind this family traditio...
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