Origin of Jack O'lanterns

The origin of Jack O’lanterns!

By: Lauren Miller

Carving pumpkins is a very popular Halloween tradition. It originated in Ireland. The pumpkins got the name Jack O’lantern from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. According to the most popular version of “Stingy Jack and the Jack O’lantern” Jack was a trickster. In the story the Devil tells Jack that he will buy him a drink in exchange for his soul. The devil turned himself into a coin which Stingy Jack stole and placed in his pocket next to a cross locking the devil into that state until released from the pocket.

Stingy Jack would go to get the Devil stuck in a tree around crosses until he promised no to take Stingy Jack's soul. When Jack died he was denied entrance to heaven and hell. He was stuck in dark purgatory with a turnip in his pocket. The Devil threw him an ember from hell. Jack carved out the turnip and placed the ember in it to light the way. After this the Irish people would carve our turnips, rutabaga, etc. and place a candle in them to ward off Stingy Jack. The Irish called the ghost of Stingy Jack “Jack of The Lantern” later called “Jack O’lantern”. After Irish immigrants went to America they discovered pumpkins and thought they were much bigger and started using those. The origin of Jack O’lanters is very fascinating!

Works Cited

How Jack O'Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth, 21 October 2020, https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins. Accessed 26 October 2022.

“The Tale Of Stingy Jack And Jack O'Lantern, And Old Irish Celtic Folklore.” Pumpkin Nook, https://www.pumpkinnook.com/facts/jack.htm. Accessed 26 October 2022.