Jack-o'-lantern

British and Irish origins

Before pumpkins became standard, communities in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England carved root crops such as turnips, rutabagas, and mangelwurzels. These illuminated vegetables were made around the autumn transition, known as Samhain in Gaelic areas or Calan Gaeaf in Wales. People believed supernatural beings walked the countryside during these spirit nights. Placing a glowing, grotesque face on a windowsill or carrying it outdoors served either to frighten passersby or to shield homes from wandering ghosts and malevolent entities. Some historians also suggest the lanterns came to represent Christian souls held in purgatory during the Allhallowtide period.

Legend of Stingy Jack

The popular name draws partly from Irish folklore about a deceitful blacksmith named Stingy Jack. According to the tale, Jack repeatedly tricked the Devil, once trapping him atop an apple tree with crosses and another time confining him as a silver coin inside a wallet. When Jack eventually died, his wicked deeds barred him from Heaven, while the Devil refused him entry into Hell. Cast out into perpetual darkness, Jack received only a glowing ember of coal to light his way. He placed the coal inside a carved turnip, condemned to wander the Earth endlessly as Jack of the Lantern.

Spread to North America

Immigrants from Celtic regions carried the carving tradition across the Atlantic in the nineteenth century. In Canada and the United States, settlers encountered indigenous pumpkins, which were softer, larger, and far easier to hollow than stubborn turnips. Carved pumpkins initially featured in broader harvest festivities and Thanksgiving games before solidifying their link with Halloween by the late nineteenth century. Connecticut field pumpkins emerged as the preferred variety for carvers. Over time, the craft grew into a community spectacle, inspiring massive seasonal displays and competitive records for thousands of illuminated lanterns gathered in public squares.

The carving craft

Creating a traditional lantern begins by slicing off the vegetable top to create a removable lid. Makers scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp until the inner wall is clean and thin enough to transmit light. Next, carvers cut features into the rind, ranging from menacing snarls to comical grins or intricate scenes. Placing a candle, tealight, or modern electric light inside illuminates the hollow chamber through the carved openings. Once finished, lanterns are arranged on porches, garden steps, and windowsills to welcome visitors or cast a protective glow into the night.

How Jack-o'-lantern is kept

Families and communities prepare jack-o'-lanterns in the days leading up to Halloween. Participants select a sound pumpkin, slice open the crown to form a lid, and thoroughly hollow the interior flesh. Using knives or carving tools, they cut facial expressions or designs into the outer skin. A candle or small light is set inside the hollow base and lit before replacing the lid. The completed lanterns are placed outside front doors, along garden paths, or on windowsills to illuminate the dark evening.

When and where

Jack-o'-lanterns are crafted and displayed in late October, reaching their peak on 31 October for Halloween. In earlier times, the practice was tied directly to the harvest calendar and the eve of All Saints' Day, marking the seasonal shift toward winter.

Carving lanterns is widely practiced across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. It began in the rural districts of Britain and Ireland and remains popular in North American neighbourhoods and autumn community gatherings.

What Jack-o'-lantern means

Traditionally, these lanterns represented protective talismans against restless spirits, fairies, and evil forces roaming on spirit nights. The grotesque faces were meant to frighten away harmful entities, including vampires. For Christian observers, the lights were also seen as symbols of souls waiting in purgatory, while the glowing turnip in folk tales represents the wandering soul of Stingy Jack.

Days Jack-o'-lantern is marked

Questions people ask about Jack-o'-lantern

See also

WampumShell beads woven into belts by Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands for record-keeping and ceremony.ChristmasA festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsHalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageChristmas treeA decorated evergreen or artificial tree placed indoors to mark the Christmas season.

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• BBC NEWS | UK | MagazineBBC, Article
• BBC NEWS | UK | MagazineBBC, Article

• Jack-o'-lantern on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.