Pumpkin Carving Quandary: What's the rationale behind decorating pumpkins at Halloween?
In the ancient past, the Celtic festival of Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. This celebration, which took place around 2000 years ago, is believed to be the origin of Halloween as we know it today. During Samhain, bonfires were lit, giving rise to the word 'bonfire'.
The spirits of dead family members were believed to visit during Samhain, and plates of food were left for them. This tradition was not unlike the Roman festival of Lemuria, which was dedicated to placating the angry and restless dead.
As Samhain evolved, the tradition of carving lanterns appeared, originating from Ireland. People carved turnips after the harvest, as they were abundant. However, when pumpkins found their way to Britain, the tradition of carving pumpkins for Halloween became popular and widespread. Pumpkins have larger size, softer flesh, and a hard exterior, making them easier to carve and produce more impressive results for jack-o'-lanterns.
The tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns may have origins in the legend of Stingy Jack, a character from Irish folklore. Jack played tricks on the Devil and was condemned to roam the world with a lantern carved from a turnip, a gift from the Devil.
In some regions, turnips, potatoes, or large beetroots were used instead of pumpkins to make jack-o'-lanterns. But once pumpkins became widely available, they became the preferred choice. In Worcestershire at the end of the 18th century, turnips were used to make 'Hoberdy's Lantern', but the Irish migrants to America discovered the pumpkin, a distinctive indigenous fruit of the U.S.
The 'Limerick Chronicle' reported in 1837 a competition for the 'best crown of Jack McLantern', a jack-o'-lantern. This competition suggests that the tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns was well established in Ireland by this time.
Pope Boniface IV established All Martyrs' Day on May 13, which later expanded to include all saints. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are Christian holidays that commemorate the souls of the departed. These holidays, celebrated on November 1 and 2 respectively, are now often associated with Halloween, marking a fusion of ancient and Christian traditions.
Today, Halloween, with its ghoulish costumes, trick-or-treating, and pumpkin lanterns, has been with us for centuries, just in different forms. Whether you carve a pumpkin or a turnip, the tradition of honouring the departed continues, reminding us of our shared history and the enduring spirit of Samhain.
A final note: did you know that a pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable? So, in a sense, carving a pumpkin for Halloween is like carving a fruit, a delightful twist in our annual autumn celebration.
