my family and i always took great care in carving our pumpkins while i was growing up. we even had a signature look to them; which usually included big black marbles as eyeballs, and pumpkin innerds doubling as brains or human remains leaking from the mouth!! (gross out!!)
ever wonder where the idea of carving jack o' lanterns came from? well here's a little fable to explain the custom: This is based on an old Irish legend about the drunk, Jack. One day he was out in the woods and tricked Satan into a tree to throw down some fruit. Once Satan had helped him he carved a cross into the tree and trapped him there. He then struck a deal that Satan would leave his soul alone when he died. This backfired when he died since heaven would not take him either. When he kept bothering the Devil to let him in the Devil gave him a burning ember instead. He carried the ember in a hollowed out turnip (sometimes described as rotton) to light his way as he wandered through eternal darkness on the earth. Eventually this was replaced with the pumpkin in America and became the modern Jack-o-Lantern.
interesting...
the lanterns originally carved out of turnips, potatoes or beats, represented the souls of departed loved ones, and were placed in window sills and on door steps to welcome home the deceased on all hallow's eve. they also served as protection against malevolent spirits or goblins freed from the dead.
it has been an essential part of halloween celebrations since the victorian days, and is a universal symbol of halloween.
so think of this story as you gut your vegetable plant this halloween!
happy carving!
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