Unique and Creative Jack-o’-Lantern Ideas for the Halloween Season

Halloween is right around the corner, which means the time for decorations has officially arrived.

Everyone loves arts and crafts, especially when the leftover scraps can be used to bake something delicious. Tradition has always played a major part in the holiday constitution.

Where did the infamous Jack-o’-Lantern come from, exactly? The story varies depending on the raconteur, but legend has in 18th-century Ireland, a drunken miser named Stingy Jack asked the devil to get a drink with him. Neither of them had money to pay, so Jack convinced the devil to turn himself into a coin.

Jack stole the coin and kept the devil in his pocket, who was trapped by a silver cross. Jack let him out under the condition that the devil would leave him alone for up to a decade. Later, when the devil finally came for Jack, he convinced the devil to climb a tree and retrieve him an apple before the two set off for an eternity in hell.

While the devil was up in the tree, Jack carved a cross on the base, leaving the devil stranded yet again. Eventually, Jack agreed to let the devil back down if his soul would never be claimed for hell. The devil had no choice but to agree. However, when Jack died, he was rejected from heaven, and banned from hell per his own request.

In the end, the devil gave Jack a lump of burning coal to guide his way through purgatory, which Jack carried in a hollowed-out turnip. Irish families passed down this tale, and began to place carved-out turnips in their window to ward away Stingy Jack’s wandering spirit. Some of these turnips had scary faces on them to frighten off any unwanted guests. Once this tradition came to the United States, it was soon realized that pumpkins are easier to carve. Thus, the Jack-o’-Lantern was born!

Whether your design is silly, funny, spooky, or artsy, carving pumpkins is something everyone can enjoy. Now you know the lore behind the craft!

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