Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
Pumpkin carving is a tradition a lot of us take part in during the time of Halloween. However, many of us do not know the true history behind this odd and long lasting tradition. Pumpkin carving derives from a story brought over by Irish immigrants about a man named “Stingy Jack”.
The story says that “Stingy Jack” tricked the devil numerous times, and even made the devil promise to not take his soul after he died. The devil honored this deal, but Jack could not enter heaven. So, the devil sent Jack on his journey through the dark with a burning coal to light his path. He put this coal into a turnip he was eating and has continued to wander the Earth. In remembrance and recognition of this story, children would put luminated coal in whatever vegetable they could find, with the intention of frightening Jack’s soul away. These vegetables were symbols of protection from the tale of the man not quite dead, and not quite alive. These lighting devices were later known as Jack-O Lanterns.
When an influx of Irish immigrants came to North America, they found that pumpkins were a better fit for carving compared to their usual beets and potatoes. Pumpkin carving has been around since the 1800s and continues to be a staple in Halloween festivities.