Jack O’Lantern Tradition

Today I miss the old traditions, I miss the culture, I miss the European diversity. Being so close to Halloween today I’ll make a post about one of folklore’s origins of Jack O’Lantern. The story that I grew up with is about one mean and ruse man from Ireland who managed to trick the Horny Guy. The story says that Jack fooled him to climb in an apple tree and once he was up there Jack quickly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree so the Devil could not get down. He makes a deal that after his death the Horny Guy will not take possession of his soul. After a while, when Jack died he learned that the Gates of Haven are closed for someone like him and now he was stacked in the middle of nowhere. When he requested some light the devil tossed him, as a mocking, an ember from the hell’s fire. Jack carved a turnip and put the ember inside it and made a lantern to see in his endless wandering.

With years, the tradition has spread around quickly and from carving turnips we got to carving pumpkins and Jack O’Lantern.

Here are some of the pumpkins that I had carved last year:

Since there are several days left until Halloween, I will not reveal what I have in mind for this year, instead I will show you some samples of last year’s costume.

See my last year Halloween Outfit: Lady Jack Skellington 

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