Jack-O'-Lanterns: A History Lesson

Jack-o’-lanterns are synonymous with Halloween. Their fiery glowing faces stare at you from porches and dare you to enter their haunted realm. But what is the history behind these iconic figures? It all starts in a little place called Ireland. So grab some hot chocolate, sit back, and settle in for a cautionary tale that starts with a man named Stingy Jack.

The Story of Stingy Jack

The history of jack-o’-lanterns starts with a man named Stingy Jack. Well-known and much-loathed, Jack was a drunkard and a silver-tongued devil. One night in a drunken stupor he comes across Satan himself. Jack is sure that Satan has come to collect his soul for all the dastardly things he has done in his life. He agrees to accompany Satan back to Hell, but requests a night of drinking before they depart. Satan obliges and they visit the nearest pub and Jack drinks all the ale he can hold.

He then convinces Satan to pay the bar tab for him. To do this, Satan turns himself into a silver coin. Jack grabs the coin and shoves it into his pocket where his crucifix is. Satan is helpless, so Jack makes a deal. He agrees to release him if he lets him live another 10 years on earth, at which time he will come quietly to hell. Satan agrees.

After the 10 years are up, Satan once again visits Jack to collect on his debt. Jack seeing that he has no way out this time quietly agrees to go along after Satan has fetched an apple from a tree to satisfy his hunger. Satan then climbs the tree to get the apple and Jack surrounds the bottom of the tree with crucifixes. Trapped and angry, Jack agrees to let him go under the condition that he is never able to take him to hell, even after he dies. Having no other choice, Satan agrees.

A short time later, Jack eventually dies and when he gets to heaven is turned away for all the sins he committed on earth. When he gets to hell, Satan cannot let him in because of the deal they made. He instead gives Jack a turnip that has an ember inside it to light the way. Jack is destined to wander the realm between this world and the next forever. Today, we carve pumpkins instead of turnips to help poor old Jack find his way in the darkness of the afterlife.

Thank an Irishman

The Irish are to thank for many of our Halloween traditions. When Irish immigrants came to the new world, they brought with them their history and their traditions as well. They brought us the story of Stingy Jack and they also started the tradition of dressing in costumes and trick or treating. The Irish honor many traditions of the Celtics that occupied the area around Ireland nearly 2,000 years ago.

During the Celtic festival of Samhain people would dress in costumes and dance around a bonfire to ward off ghosts. The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. They believed that on October 31, the veil between the living and the dead thinned and was lifted so that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth for just one night. Pope Gregory III declared November 1 All Saints Day and incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later became known as Halloween.

So when celebrating Halloween, don’t forget that it’s not just a children’s holiday. There is a rich history behind the holiday that celebrates our diverse melting pot by honoring the traditions and history of our immigrants that have been handed down through the generations.