by Alex Tisthammer | Fort Collins Nursery
An Irish legend, a fiery ember, and a New World pumpkin — how a centuries-old tale of “Stingy Jack” lit the path to our modern Halloween tradition.
You know fall has officially arrived when pumpkins start to appear around town. Suddenly, everyone has pumpkins on the brain, and these ubiquitous orange orbs are inescapable. They are in your lattes, in your food, and in every doorway in town. Turn a corner and BAM – a cheery wide-mouthed squash is staring deep into your eyes! When did we all become so “Cucurbita pepo” obsessed, and how did the jack o’ lantern gain such popularity in modern culture?
The tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns did not start with pumpkins at all, but with turnips. An Irish folk tale recounts the story of a man, Stingy Jack, known for his cunning and mischievousness. Through a series of encounters, Jack tricks the Devil into never being able to touch Jack or consume his soul. Unfortunately for Jack, his life of trickery and sinfulness catches up to him, and he is forbidden to enter heaven. Doomed to walk the earth in limbo for all eternity, he is given a parting gift from the Devil, a single ember from the flames of Hell to light his endless and aimless path. Jack takes the ember and places it in a hollowed-out turnip and begins his eternal journey on earth.
The people of the British Isles would carve turnips, along with the occasional beet or potato, during Samhain, which we know as Halloween. Autumn marks the transition from the fall equinox into winter and is said to be when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, shrouded by increasingly long nights. These vegetable carvings and their candles served to illuminate the darkness and ward off evil or mischievous spirits, such as Stingy Jack, when they are most likely to visit. During the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s, when Irish immigrants traveled to America, the tradition shifted to using winter squash, especially pumpkins. Winter squash was a New World crop grown by Indigenous people and was a large part of their diet and culture. It was a much larger and easier veggie to carve for warding off evil spirits.
Growing your own pumpkins is a great hands-on way to participate in the tradition. Botanical Interests Seeds carries two seed varieties that you can plant specifically for carving. The “Howden” variety was developed in the 1970s by Jack Howden. Its round shape, defined ribs, thick handles, and walls give it the classic carving pumpkin look. The other variety is aptly named “Jack O’ Lantern,” an heirloom variety that has been used for carving since 1956. Not only is it perfect for carving, “Jack O’ Lantern” can also be used for baking and pies.
When you’re getting ready to carve up a pumpkin this week, don’t forget that you are participating in a long-held tradition. Your little squash is not only for celebrating the changing season, but also protecting your home from any wandering prankish spirits in the night!