There is a story behind the carved pumpkin that is often called the Jack O’ Lantern. The history of the Jack O’ Lantern dates back to hundreds of years ago. The history of the Jack O’ Lantern even spreads across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and Britain.

The myth of the Jack O’ Lantern originates somewhere in Ireland. Celtic pagan celebrations are the root in Halloween’s beginnings. During these celebrations, Irish people would carve large turnips. After the turnips were carved they would place candles inside. These hollowed out turnips were used as lanterns on the night of All Hallows Eve to light the way.  Irish people believed that this would prevent them from running into naughty spirits.

One might ask what is the reason behind the gruesome faces that were carved? Here is the story of a man named Stingy Jack. This story could be a valuable lesson to children who think that being stingy is an honor.

The story is told in many different variations, but all of them center on the same theme. Long ago there was a man named Stingy Jack. As you may have already guessed he was not very good at playing well with others.

Stingy Jack invited the devil to sit down for a drink. Being stingy, he then refused to pay for the devils drink. Stingy jack then asked the devil to turn himself into a coin so that he could pay for the drink. Of course, Stingy Jack didn’t pay for the drink after the devil honored his request. Stingy Jack instead placed the coin in his pocket next to a metal cross.

On a separate occasion, Stingy Jack traps the devil in a tree by carving the image of the cross into the tree’s bark. In order for the devil to be set free he had to promise Stingy Jack that he would not take his soul when he died.

When Stingy Jack passed away he wasn’t welcome in heaven and hell couldn’t take him because of the promise the devil had made to him. As a consequence of the devil’s promise, Stingy Jack was doomed to roam the earth carrying a burning ember of hell inside a turnip to light his way.

The story of Stingy Jack has evolved over the years, but the name Jack O’ Lantern has lived on. Carving a Jack O’ Lantern is still a Halloween tradition today.