Have you ever wondered why we carve pumpkins to make jack-o-lanterns for halloween?
According to Fox News, it started off as an ancient Irish tradition that they then brought to America.The name Jack-o’lantern came from a man named “Stingy Jack” who was an old, drunk, miserable man. He liked to play tricks with people; one of his targets was the devil. He tricked him twice into giving him more years into his life. When it was time for Jack to officially die he was rejected from both Hell and Heaven. Before he was rejected from Hell the devil gave him a coal from Hell that stays lit forever. Jack then put it in a hollowed out turnip and carried it wandering around Earth stuck between Heaven and Hell.
It then became a tradition brought by the Celtics who were a big population during ancient European times, usually they have been derived from Britain or Ireland. They would carve scary faces on pumpkins and turnips to scare away Jack and other evil spirits. So, next time you carve a pumpkin, remember this story and how sharing cultures and traditions with people can be a way to connect each other, making it last through many generations.
“I have a tradition of always carving pumpkins on Halloween Eve with my friends, while watching scary movies,” said sophomore Ellery Jones.
Check this website out for a step by step instruction of how to prep, cut, and light your pumpkin: https://www.wikihow.com/Carve-a-Pumpkin
“My go to face when carving pumpkins is pointy teeth and triangle eyes,” said sophomore Annika Keadle.
In honor of it being fall not only do we carve pumpkins for halloween but, we also eat them. There are many food and/or drink places that offer seasonal pumpkin inspired or flavored items. One of the most popular one’s being Starbucks they offer items like a chai latte with pumpkin spice cold foam, pumpkin latte, pumpkin cream cheese muffin and many more. At Dairy Queen they have a pumpkin pie blizzard, and at Krispy Kreme they got pumpkin flavored donuts.
“I love the Chai with the pumpkin cold foam from starbucks, it’s the best fall drink,” said sophomore Amen Kassa
