Why We Carve Pumpkins on Halloween — And the Spooky Legend Behind It
That glowing pumpkin on your doorstep is more than decoration — it’s a centuries-old symbol of light pushing back against darkness, born from legend, fear, and a dash of creativity.
Every October, something magical (and a little spooky) happens — porches light up with glowing orange faces, some smiling, some menacing, all carved from pumpkins.
It’s a Halloween staple, but have you ever stopped to wonder why we carve pumpkins in the first place? The answer goes way back — long before candy corn, trick-or-treating, or even pumpkins themselves.
It All Started With a Scary Legend
The story begins in Ireland, with a man known as Stingy Jack — a mischievous fellow who loved to trick people… even the Devil himself. Legend says Jack managed to outsmart the Devil more than once, but when he finally died, Heaven didn’t want him — and neither did Hell.
To keep Jack and other restless spirits away, people began carving creepy faces into turnips and potatoes, placing candles inside to scare them off.
From Turnips to Pumpkins — The American Twist
When Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800s, they brought the Jack-o’-lantern tradition with them — but there was a twist. Turnips weren’t so easy to find here, but pumpkins? They were everywhere!
Bigger, softer, and easier to carve, pumpkins quickly became the new canvas for the spooky faces — and a new Halloween icon was born.
Lighting the Darkness (Then and Now)
Back then, carving those faces wasn’t about fun — it was about protection. People believed the glowing lanterns would keep wandering souls away from their homes. Today, it’s more about creativity and connection: families gather around kitchen tables, scooping out seeds, designing faces, and laughing together while the smell of pumpkin fills the air.
Still, the tradition keeps a trace of its old magic — lighting up the darkness as autumn settles in. Every flickering candle in a jack-o’-lantern feels like a tiny echo of the old Celtic belief: that light can keep away the things that scare us most.
The Real Meaning Behind the Glow
So, next time you carve a pumpkin, remember — it’s more than a seasonal decoration. It’s a blend of myth, history, and a touch of the supernatural, a centuries-old ritual that reminds us to find light, even in the spookiest season of the year.
News Reference:
Good Question: How did pumpkins become the symbol of Halloween? October 24, 2023. Heather Brown.