Ah, the jack-o’-lantern. The quintessential Halloween decoration that we all love—until we actually have to carve one. If you’ve ever spent hours wrestling with a dull kitchen knife, scooping out pumpkin guts while cursing your life choices, you’re not alone. I mean, who decided that creating a glorified vegetable lantern was the perfect way to celebrate Halloween anyway? Spoiler alert: It wasn’t Martha Stewart. Let’s dig into the rich (and slightly weird) history of the jack-o’-lantern, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll appreciate this tradition a little more (or at least understand why we suffer through it every year).
From Turnips to Pumpkins: A Gory Origin Story
You might think the jack-o’-lantern started with good old American pumpkins, but no, like all terrible ideas, this one hails from Ireland. And get this—the original jack-o’-lanterns weren’t even pumpkins. They were turnips! Yep, our ancestors were hacking up turnips, potatoes, and sometimes even beets, and carving faces into them. If you’ve ever tried to carve a rock-hard turnip, then you know that pumpkins are practically a blessing in comparison.
The legend goes that the name “jack-o’-lantern” comes from an old Irish folktale about a guy named Stingy Jack. Jack was a bit of a jerk, tricking the Devil himself (because, why not?) and securing a deal that would keep him out of hell. However, Heaven wasn’t exactly eager to welcome him either, so Jack ended up doomed to wander the earth with only a burning coal inside a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. And thus, the first jack-o’-lantern was born .
When Irish immigrants brought this tradition to the United States in the 19th century, they quickly discovered that turnips were nowhere near as plentiful as pumpkins. Pumpkins were easier to carve (comparatively speaking, of course—still awful), larger, and far more photogenic, thus sealing the pumpkin’s fate as the go-to jack-o’-lantern vessel .
The Superstitious Side of Things
Originally, jack-o’-lanterns weren’t just a fun activity for bored kids and frustrated parents. These creepy-faced gourds were meant to ward off evil spirits. People believed that placing a jack-o’-lantern on your doorstep would scare away wandering souls and prevent them from entering your home. And honestly, looking at some of the carving disasters we see today, I’d argue they could scare away anything, living or dead.
The spooky faces carved into turnips and pumpkins were supposed to represent these wandering spirits. By making the lanterns as horrifying as possible, people hoped to confuse or scare off the malevolent beings. And let’s be real, nothing says “get off my lawn, demon” quite like a pumpkin that looks like it was carved by a toddler with a butter knife .
The American Pumpkin Takeover
While the Irish may have brought the tradition to the U.S., it was the Americans who perfected it. The pumpkin—a native North American crop—was far more suited to carving than its European counterparts. Not only did pumpkins grow larger and were easier to hollow out, but they were also much more abundant in the autumn season. If you’re going to be forced into carving a face into something, at least let it be something with some size. Try putting a candle in a turnip without setting the whole thing on fire. (Hint: It doesn’t work.)
Thanks to the influx of Irish immigrants in the 1800s, Halloween itself began to gain popularity in the U.S., and with it, the jack-o’-lantern tradition grew . But it wasn’t until the early 20th century that Halloween really became the spooky, candy-filled extravaganza we know today. The carved pumpkins became less about scaring away spirits and more about neighborhood decoration. Somewhere along the way, we all collectively decided that carving a pumpkin was a wholesome family activity, even though it often results in someone muttering, “I’m never doing this again next year” under their breath.
Modern-Day Pumpkin Madness
Today, jack-o’-lanterns are a far cry from their spooky, spirit-warding origins. Every year, around 45% of Americans carve pumpkins for Halloween , and Pinterest is flooded with perfectly styled jack-o’-lanterns that will make you feel inadequate about your own misshapen creation. There are even pumpkin carving contests—because nothing says “holiday spirit” quite like turning pumpkin mutilation into competitive sport. If you’ve ever tried to carve an intricate design into a pumpkin, you know how frustrating it can be when your perfect smile turns into a lopsided grimace.
But hey, it’s tradition, right? Sure, the origins are based on folklore, and most of us are just trying to avoid losing a finger while carving, but the jack-o’-lantern has become a beloved part of Halloween. Whether you’re creating a spooky masterpiece or just trying to get through the process without tears, jack-o’-lanterns continue to light up our porches—and occasionally test our patience.
So, What Have We Learned?
The jack-o’-lantern, like most traditions, has a bizarre backstory that involves tricking the Devil, wandering souls, and turnips. It started as a way to keep away spirits and has evolved into a decoration we (somewhat reluctantly) carve every October. Whether you’re a master of pumpkin carving or just trying to get through it without making a mess of your kitchen, take comfort in knowing that you’re part of a long, strange history. Just remember to keep the band-aids handy.
And next time you curse your way through carving, just think—at least it’s not a turnip.
