The History of Halloween Jack O’ Lanterns
 | | One of the best parts of Halloween is carving a Jack O’ Lantern. But what do you know about the tradition? |
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There are varying stories about the exact origin of the term Jack O’ Lantern. Some believe that the name Jack O’ Lantern is British in origin, dating from the 17th century. It referred to the night watchmen, who carried lanterns. Most people attribute the name to a legend about an Irishman named Stingy Jack, who tricked the devil in order to keep his soul out of hell. However, upon his death heaven wouldn’t take him, and hell had promised not to take him, so he was doomed to wander the Earth. Stingy Jack begged the devil for something to light his way, and the devil tossed him an ember from hell that would never burn out. Stingy Jack carved out a turnip, put the ember inside it, and forever walked the Earth looking for a resting place. He became known as Jack of the Lantern.
No matter the true origin of the name, the custom of carving Jack O’ Lanterns was brought to the United States by Irish immigrants. Instead of turnips, pumpkins were carved because of their easy availability and size, and in the mid-to-late 19th century, pumpkin carving became a Halloween tradition in the United States. Today, carved pumpkins range from the traditional scary face to actual works-of-art, and have come to signify the Halloween holiday.
Check out this video from The History Channel about Jack O’ lanterns